OVERCOMING OUR ENEMIES

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The word "enemy" or its plural "enemies" is mentioned hundreds of times in the Bible and is the focus of large sections of Scripture.  Much of the Old Testament deals with the conflict and battles between Israel and its "enemies".  Two things are abundantly clear in Scripture.  First, each of us as Christians will face enemies and face persecution from those enemies because of our belief and faith in Christ (2 Timothy 3:12).  Second, God in His loving-kindness left many words of wisdom in Scripture to prepare us for dealing with those enemies who will persecute us.  

In this modern world strength and success in conflicts is clearly measured by winning.  Defeating one's enemies is undisputedly a primary pursuit and focus for many societies.  Whether it is defeating an enemy in a battle over possessions or being victorious in forcing beliefs and lifestyles on others - we are preoccupied with proving our superiority over our enemies.  Yet God's desire is not that we be focused on winning and defeating our enemies at any cost.  He is most interested in how we treat those we are in conflict with. 

Want to know God's thoughts on how you should treat your enemies?  Well here they are…

• Love your enemies and pray for them.  Matt 5:43-48
• Help your enemies in need.  Exodus 23:4-5
• Provide life sustaining care to your enemies.  Proverbs 25:21-22
• Forgive your enemies.  Luke 23:34, Acts 7:60
• Bless and endure your enemies.  1 Corinthians 4:12

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Not what you expected?  If you think about it, how powerful is it when you follow God's instruction to pray for your enemies as well as yourself?  Do you believe He will be more likely to answer your prayers and reward you as He has promised?  How much more difficult is it for someone to hate you when you have helped rather than hurt them?  How much more endearing is showing compassion to others rather than contempt?  How irresistible is experiencing grace when you are expecting retaliation?  How many relationships have been mended through love rather than hate?

God doesn't expect us to let others mistreat or abuse us.  There is no prohibition against righteous defense of one's self, one's family or one's people.  God is really more focused on our heart's response to our enemies.  He does not want us to hate our enemies or to fail to bless or pray for them as we are called to do.  If we are obedient to God and love and pray for our enemies He promises to reward us, if not on this earth, then most assuredly in Heaven.  So the question is, will we follow God's direction for OVERCOMING OUR ENEMIES or will we seek to solve it as the ungodly do through hate, intolerance and persecution?  Which approach do you think will be rewarded and be most successful in the end?

BE THE SEED THAT GROWS INTO A FRUITFUL PLANT

In Matthew 13, Mark 4 and Luke 8 Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower to the crowds gathered around him.  In this parable Jesus compares the sharing of the Gospel message to the farmer sowing seeds in a field.  Christ explains that as the farmer scatters seed in a field some of it lands on rocky soil, some in shallow soil, some in weedy soil and some in fertile soil.  Many in the crowd who are listening are unable and/or unwilling to understand the meaning of the story.

When asked by His Disciples why He spoke in parables, or stories, that were sometimes not easily grasped by all who heard them, Jesus responded that only those who truly desired and sought the meaning would find it.  There would be those who heard but never cared to understand (never took root), those who tried to understand but soon gave up when they realized the cost to their lives (had no root), those who tried to understand but let other things rule their lives (smothered out by weeds) and those who understood and took the message to heart (took root and grew into a plant that produced fruit).

The Bible Exposition Commentary uses the following illustrations to further explain Jesus message in terms of the conditions of our hearts when we hear the Gospel message: 

• Hard Heart - hears but resists the Word of God and opens up to all kinds of worldly influences which can harden the heart to truth.  Satan quickly takes the message away for it will not root.
• Shallow Heart - hears but has no foundational understanding, the "emotional hearer" who in a moment of enthusiasm or exuberance over a message responds but has no idea of the cost and soon finds the cost more than they are willing to pay.  There is no true "root", so although joyful at first it is short lived.
• Crowded Heart - hears but has so many lusts, priorities, desires in the heart that the message is soon pushed aside in pursuit of worldly things.  The worries and things of this life quickly crowd out the Word.
• Fruitful Heart - hears the message and it takes root.  The changed life of a true believer produces fruit.  Serving God through any means is a driving force in their lives.

If you are reading this message, the condition of your heart is being tested.  Don't allow you heart to be hard, shallow or crowded.  As you read this God may be calling you right now to hear and receive His message and be fruitful.  Or He may be reminding you of your present condition.  Don't turn away, worry the cost or let other things crowd out His Call to you.

If you have not responded to the Gospel Call, admitted your sinful nature, realized your need to repent of your sins and asked God to save you from your sins and be Lord of your life do so now.  Read the Bible and seek to learn God's word with others in a Christ centered Church.  Be The Seed That Grows Into A Fruitful Plant.

WE NEED GOD JUST AS MUCH IN THE GOOD TIMES AS IN THE BAD

There is a painting that hangs in my office and in my study at home that symbolizes the temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness.  It is one of the few pieces of art I have ever purchased for myself.  I was so enamored of it that I bought two copies of the same painting to hang in the places where I spend a large majority of my time.

I think what so intrigued me about the painting is the sense of solitude and reflection that I see in it.  Christ is pictured sitting alone in the foreground of a backdrop where nothing else is present but desert and sky.  There are no other human beings, no animals, no plants.  Christ sits alone with His thoughts.  I always wonder "what is He thinking, did He know what He was about to face?"

In the final verses of Matthew Chapter 3 Christ has just been baptized by John the Baptist.  God's Spirit had descended upon Christ from the Heavens "as a dove descending and lighting upon Him".  God pronounced "This is my Son, in Him I am well pleased".  My sinless, blameless Son is here and I am announcing it to all who are present.

So in a supreme moment of revelation from God Christ is exalted.  And in the very next scene Christ is alone with Himself and His thoughts and immediately challenged by Satan.  As Matthew Chapter 4 opens Christ has left the River Jordan, the site of his Baptism, and entered the wilderness alone.  There He is confronted by Satan with a series of temptations in an attempt to lure Jesus into a situation where He would commit a sin.

Three times Jesus is tempted by Satan to sin against God and each time Jesus refuses, quoting Scriptures from the Old Testament to defend His actions and Himself from Satan.  Jesus knew the Scriptures well and He knew the power they have over temptation and sin.  Jesus was victorious over Satan in part because of His knowledge of and faithfulness to Scripture.

Isn't it often like that with us?  After a significant joyful event in our lives, such as a Baptism or marriage, doesn't it seem like almost immediately there are new found temptations all around us.  An invitation to a party we know we probably shouldn't attend or an inappropriate advance from an acquaintance.  The self confidence we feel during milestone events in our lives can sometimes serve as an intoxicant, numbing our senses to the danger of the temptations that are always present around us.

Satan loves those moments - they are moments of opportunity for him.  Satan relishes in attempting to destroy the most successful and obedient of God's children.  So when "life smiles on you" in a big way and success seems to be around every corner, temper your celebration somewhat with the knowledge that Satan may be among those in the crowd cheering you on.  Immerse yourself in prayer and Scripture to guard yourself from what may be "lurking in the wilderness".  And always remember, WE NEED GOD JUST AS MUCH IN THE GOOD TIMES AS IN THE BAD.

TWO TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS

Whether you are a soccer Mom or a busy executive, adopting these two tips into your life can change your personal effectiveness for the better.

TIP ONE:  CAPTURE WHAT YOU NEED TO ACCOMPLISH IN A "TO DO" LIST

This is probably the single most important step in bringing control and focus to the chaos that is your life sometimes.  The way your brain works is like this...if you have something you need to accomplish and you don't define the next step you need to take to accomplish that task, your brain is going to continue to remind you that it needs to be done.  It's just the way your brain functions (medical research proves it!).  You will be sitting somewhere trying to focus on what you are doing and all of a sudden that unsettled/unplanned thing you need to accomplish is going to pop back into your mind causing you to lose focus on what you're working on.  Next thing you know there's another one popping up.  And pretty soon you're not getting anything done but thinking about all the things you need to do.  It happens to most of us frequently!

So here is TIP ONE.  When you think about that "something" you need to accomplish simply ask yourself "what is the next thing I need to do to accomplish it?".  If you can complete that next step in a few minutes - just do it.  If it takes longer than a few minutes to accomplish it write down the next action you need to take on your "To Do" list .  For example, if on Monday the reminder in your car tells you the oil needs to be changed, the next thing you might do is decide you are going to accomplish that on Thursday at the Jiffy Lube.  Simply write down "Change Oil in Car at Jiffy Lube on Thursday" on your "TO DO" list.  That decision has been made.  You'll be amazed at how this keeps all those nagging things you need to do from continually popping into your head and stressing you out.

TIP TWO:  WORK YOUR LIST

So you've captured all these next steps or "TO DOS".  Now your thoughts are not continually being bombarded by all these things you need to accomplish.  That's because you've decided what to do about them and have those actions captured on your "To Do" list.  Your brain is happy that you've done that and is not bothering you with it anymore!

Well a list by itself doesn't get anything done, right?  So here is TIP TWO.  Each day should be preceded with a review of the things that need to be accomplished on your list that day.  You can do that review the night before, the morning of the day or whatever works best for you.  But the main thing to remember is to keep marking things off that list each day so the list doesn't continue to grow faster than you are completing things.  You can also use a calendar to help you track time driven "to dos" if that works better for you.  If the bills need paying by the 26th and you've decided to pay bills on the 24th simply write down "Pay the Bills" on the 24th in your calendar.  You're done.  Simply reviewing your list and deciding what you can get done that day will work fine for most of us.  By staying on top of your "to do" list you'll feel a sense of accomplishment that leads to the peaceful feeling that you are in charge and on top of the things in your life.

CLOSING THOUGHTS:

There are many resources out there to help you improve your personal effectiveness.  Author David Allen has a particularly helpful book entitled "Getting Things Done" which can be purchased from the author's website  http://www.davidco.com/, at online retailers such as Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0142000280 or in most large chain book stores.  It is packed full of ideas, practical approaches and research backed methods to improve personal effectiveness.  It has tips that work in the home as well as in the workplace.

If you'll just work at these TWO TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS your productivity will increase, you'll see an improvement in your anxiety level concerning the things you need to accomplish and you'll feel a much greater sense of confidence as you mark things of your "TO DO" list.

WE WILL ALWAYS FIND GOD IN THE MOST EXPECTED OF PLACES

A true story of God's mercy and divine appointments as related to me by a friend who struck up a conversation with a stranger sitting in a waiting room at M.D. Anderson Hospital...

The elderly man sitting next to his wife in the wheelchair in the hospital waiting room was tall and very slender.  He had driven a truck for 40 years until a stroke he suffered made it impossible for him to continue to work.  In that 40 years he and his wife had bought a home, raised their children, paid their bills and taxes and done everything they could to set a good example for their children.  Despite his health issues they had continued to make ends meet.

Six months earlier the doctor in the small town clinic where they lived told the man that his wife likely had breast cancer.  They sent her to a regional medical facility where the diagnosis was confirmed.

Because of the man’s disability and discharge from his job they no longer had health insurance for his wife.  Suddenly they were faced with the reality that his wife needed treatment to save her life – treatment they could not afford.  After many failed attempts to obtain assistance they were ultimately told by the small regional hospital that they could not treat the woman any further.  There was nothing they could do.

The couple returned home and his wife grew more ill with each passing day.  Devastated and with nowhere left to turn the elderly gentleman left his sick wife resting at home one Sunday morning and slipped into a pew at the back of their small town church just hoping to find some relief from the feelings of despair.

At the end of the sermon that morning the Pastor said he felt there was someone there who had something they needed to share.  As the soft music continued to play the elderly gentleman suddenly found himself rising from his seat and slowly making his way down the aisle toward the front of the congregation.

As he neared the front he wondered “what in the world will I say”.  He never spoke in front of groups.  He was terrified.  As he turned to face the crowd he thought his knees might give way.  But as he began to speak in an uneasy tone about the life he and his wife had lived and the situation he now found himself in his voice soon became filled with strength.

He told the Church it was hard for him to understand why they had worked all their lives, raised their children and always taken care of their business and now when he needed help for his ailing wife there was nothing he could do save her.  He prayed daily to God for strength and help.  As tears streamed down his face he said it was almost unbearable to think of life without his wife.  He didn’t know where else to turn.

After some comforting words from the Pastor and prayer from the congregation the elderly man excused himself to the bathroom to dry his eyes and steady himself.  As he emerged from the bathroom the Pastor said there was someone who was visiting in the congregation that day who wanted to speak with him.  The visitor told the elderly man she was very moved by his story and wanted to help him.  She said she couldn’t make any promises but gave him a phone number and asked that he call the next day.

The call the elderly gentleman made the next day started the wheels in motion that would deliver an answer to his prayers.  The stranger who was visiting by chance in the congregation worked at M.D. Anderson hospital.  The stranger arranged for his wife's care at one of the leading cancer treatment centers in the world – free of charge.  His wife had been delivered from certain death by a divine appointment in a small town gathering of God's people.

The story was a reminder to me that when we don’t know where to turn WE WILL ALWAYS FIND GOD IN THE MOST EXPECTED OF PLACES.

HOW WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

Courtesy Spencer Irvine

YOU can change the world by sponsoring a child!  So exactly what does the phrase SPONSORING A CHILD mean?  In short it is simply providing funds to charitable organizations who provide food, clothing, shelter, education and various services to children who would otherwise have limited access to these basic necessities.

When I recently read economist Bruce Wydick's article "Want To Change The World? Sponsor a Child" in Christianity Today it was never more clear to me why God called my family to sponsor children.  It was not the adorable pictures of the children or the letters of appreciation they send.  Those are nice things.  But the real reason for sponsoring children was Biblical for us and is found in part in the following passages:

1. James 1:27 - "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress:..."
2. Proverbs 19:17 - "Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord..."
3. Deuteronomy 15:11 - Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor..." 

Let me suggest that even if you don't have a relationship with Jesus and the Biblical reasons for child sponsorship don't have application in your life - it's my sincere prayer that they someday will - sponsoring children still makes sense for the Christian and non-Christian alike.  Here's why:

1. You'll feel better inside simply knowing you've helped another human being.  We're all wired with an inherent desire to care for and help others.
2. You won't wind up paying to provide the same services through high levels of taxation when the government steps in and provides the assistance.  Governments are generally proven to be very inefficient and ineffective providers of such services.
3. You will provide basic needs and education for a generation that will be more self sufficient and will create a better world in which you, your children and their children will come to live.

The following organizations are two that we are personally acquainted with and that we sponsor children through.  There are hyperlinks which direct you to their websites where you can find very detailed information on their mission, finances and programs.  Charity Watch at http://www.charitywatch.org/ provides ratings of these two charities as well as many others.  For about a dollar a day the organizations below will see that your charitable, tax deductible donations go a long ways towards changing lives for the better: 



Compassion International

Compassion International - online at http://www.compassion.com/, this organization invests 80 to 85 cents of every dollar donated to life changing programs.  Their commitment to Christ, to Children, to the Church, and to Integrity are unsurpassed.  They serve and make a difference in the lives of some 1.3 Million children around the world. 



 



World Vision

World Vision - online at http://www.worldvision.org/, the folks at World Vision invest 80 to 85 cents of every dollar donated tackling the causes of injustice and poverty.  Serving close to 100 Million people in 100 countries World Vision is making a huge difference in many lives.

I encourage you to read Mr. Wydick's article for a detailed explanation of how Child Sponsorship can change the world.  By sponsoring a child today you can begin to change the future for the next generation and you will be able to show others HOW WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.  Feel free to post a comment and share other ways in which we can work to make the world a better place.

WILL GOD TURN AWAY FROM US?

Most Christians and Historians are very familiar with the on-again-off-again relationship the Israelites had with God.  Over hundreds of years God sent one Prophet after another to remind the Israelites of His commandments and to warn the Israelites of the consequences of their continued sin. They didn't listen.

In Verse 20 II Kings Chapter 17 the consequence for Israel's persistent sins is given "The Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them out of His sight." God turned from Israel and allowed other nations to conquer Israel because of their systemic and persistent disobedience. He did not forsake them. But He no longer protected them from their enemies as He had done.

Curious as to what it takes for God to turn away from a Nation He has favored?  Here is a list of the systemic and persistent sins which God felt deserved specific mention in II Kings Chapter 17 as reasons for His turning away:

1. Idol Worship
2. Sexual Sins
3. Child Sacrifice
4. Worldly Living

Does our nation, America, which God has highly favoured have significant issues with this list of sins?  Well let's see:

1. Idol Worship - there is certainly evidence our Nation as a whole does not worship God.  There are statistics that report over half of our nation does not have a true relationship with Jesus Christ.  God is actively being pushed out of places He has always been - schools, public gatherings, public places.  God is being replaced with what the world wants.  And according to God's Word whatever we replace God with has become an "Idol".
2. Sexual Sins - the porn industry reportedly generates $14 Billion dollars per year in revenue.  Traditional marriage as God defined it is under daily attack and has now been "redefined" by the world's laws in some parts of America.  Divorce due to infidelity (adultery) is reported to be at all time highs in this country.
3. Child/Infant Sacrifice - approximately 3500 babies are electively aborted in the US every day.  Statistics report the majority of the babies that are aborted are conceived in sex that occurs outside of God's sacred covenant of marriage.  And more subtly a generation of children are being abandoned by parents who shirk their responsibility to raise their children in a Godly manner.
4. Worldly Living - much is written that it's becoming increasingly harder to separate the Church from the World.  And it's not because the World has become more like the Church.  Quite the opposite is reported to be occurring.  The Church has become much more "tolerant" and "accepting" of the World.  God did not call his people to live as the world.  He called them to do the exact opposite.

Just as in the days of Israel these disturbing trends in living are not shared by everyone.  There are plenty of people striving to live like Christ and sharing Christ as God has commanded.  And no Nation is perfect - and God could not expect us to be - He knows us because He made us.  But God never guarantees us favor as a Nation if we continue to live in and/or increase the level of our disobedience and sinfulness.

So is America at risk of God "turning away" as He did with Israel?  Is it possible it's happening today, right now as you read this?  The falling away of a Nation is a slow fade where things almost imperceptibly become more and more like the World with every passing day.  WILL GOD TURN AWAY FROM US?  What do you think?

THE GOD WHO WROTE THE BIBLE JUST FOR YOU

Want to feel like God wrote the Bible just for you?  Actually He did write the Bible just for you!  But I'll bet like me you often read it like we read any other book.  We pick it up from its last resting place, remove the bookmark, and start reading.  Now there's nothing wrong with reading the Bible like that.  But here's a great way to make God's message to you even more personal and real.

Try "praying back" scripture to God.  Here's how it works.  I was recently reading in the book of James and I copied James 1:12-18 directly from the NKJV.  It reads like this: 

¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. ¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. ¹⁸ Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.

I then turned the scripture to prayer like this:

Father God, help me to be a man who endures temptations so that I may be approved and receive the crown of life which you have promised to me because I love you.  When I am tempted don't ever let me say it was you who tempted me for I know you cannot be tempted by evil and you cannot tempt anyone to do evil because you are Holy and Perfect.  I know that if I am tempted I will be drawn by my own desires, not by anything you would will.  I know it is my desires that lead to sin and that sin leads to death.  Make sure I realize that every good gift and every perfect gift comes from you the Father of Lights.  In you there is no change or turning.  You brought me forth by your own will so I could be a fruit of your creation.

Now this method doesn't work with every single passage of scripture but it is rewarding to apply the technique to those passages where it does work.  There are actually several books that have been written to help you apply this method to your prayer life.  Author Lee Roberts has written a series called "Praying God's Will For My _________".  You can fill in the blank with Daughter, Son and Pastor to name a few.  They are great books of practical scripture prayers for the important people in your life. 

The great thing about praying scripture is that you know you are praying back to THE GOD WHO WROTE THE BIBLE JUST FOR YOU.

I'd love to hear about the ways you use scripture in your prayers. Share them below.

THREE WAYS YOU ARE HONORING GOD THROUGH YOUR WORK

This is the third in a series of short posts on work and why it is essential to our physical, mental and spiritual well being.

In the last post in this series titled “THREE BIBLICAL EXAMPLES THAT EXPLAIN MAN’S BASIC NEED AND DESIRE TO WORK” we established that man works to Feed, Clothe and Shelter himself. If you missed the post you can read it at http://salvationisagift.blogspot.com/2013/01/three-biblical-examples-that-explain.html.

Man's work is actually about much more than simply obtaining food, clothing and shelter.  God actually expects that we work to honor Him.  Here are three reasons we know this to be true.

God Is Honored When We Take Full Advantage of the Gifts He Has Blessed Us With

There are few greater tragedies in life than the squandering of great gifts (talents).  God grants us specific gifts so that we can work and be productive in our lives.  The Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:10 "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace".  This is a clear admonition to use the gifts God has provided us with.  Romans Chapter 12 verses 6-8 are even more specific about the different types of gifts we receive and how we are supposed to use them as it reads "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."  Each of us must examine ourselves to understand how God has gifted us and then we must use those gifts in our work so that we can glorfiy God through our accomplishments whether they be in the secular or spritual areas of our lives.

God Is Honored When We Work To Provide For Our Families and For Those In Need

Scripture is pretty clear that God expects us to work if we are physically able. In II Thessalonians Paul's directive is pretty blunt. In Chapter 3 Verse 10 it is written "If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat". In Proverbs 28:19 scripture says "Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty."  Work is not necessarily synonymous with employment.  We don't have to be employed by someone else in order to work.  We can work by farming our own land, maintaining our households or simply serving others.  The key thing to remember is that we are expected to work if we are able to work so that we provide for our ourselves, our families and others in need.  Working to help others in need is actually commanded in Ephesians 4:28 which says "...[one] must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need".  God expects us to work so that we provide for our own needs as well as the needs of others.


God Is Honored When We Work To Our Hightest Potential


From Sportspectrum.com

God doesn't expect us to work just enough to get by. He expects us to give it our all.  Colossians 3:17 says "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." God wants your work to be exemplary.  He knows your workplace is a mission field.  God knows that the eyes that look out from the darkness will see you if you are His light. How you conduct yourself at work can bring either great glory or dishonor to God. Matthew 5:16 says "Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven".  By giving work your all and being a living witness as you work you are glorifying God.  We should always remember that all of our work should be done as if we were doing it directly for God.

The next time you wonder exactly what you are working for take heart that you know THREE WAYS YOU ARE HONORING GOD THROUGH YOUR WORK.

THREE BIBLICAL EXAMPLES THAT EXPLAIN MAN’S BASIC NEED AND DESIRE TO WORK

This is the second in a series of posts on work and why work is essential to our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.

In the last post titled “TWO KEY FACTS ABOUT THE BIBLICAL ORIGINS OF WORK” we established that God Created Work and God Created Man to Work. If you missed the post you can read it at http://salvationisagift.blogspot.com/2013/01/two-key-facts-about-biblical-origins-of.html. The modern day definition of work from Webster’s dictionary was presented as [to] “Be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a purpose or result.”

There are three innate reasons that man engages in work and those reasons have changed little in over 6000 years. They are:

Man works to eat. The first recorded work that man performed was for an essential purpose that continues to this very day – in order that he has food to eat. In Genesis 2:5 scripture reads “Now no shrub of the field had yet grown on the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.” From the dawn of time God intended for man to cultivate the ground and produce food to sustain himself. Man not only gardened and gathered food from the fields but he also worked in the form of hunting animals for food. There are numerous references in Genesis to the hunting of game for food.  In Genesis 26:28 it says that “Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game”. Food is essential to life. Man has always worked in order to eat.

Man works to clothe himself. Almost every child from a very early age knows the Biblical story of Adam and Eve and how God provided clothing for them in the Garden of Eden. Man’s need for clothing originated almost as soon as man originated. The idyllic climate of the Garden of Eden changed immediately when man was kicked out into the world as we know it today. The change in climate outside the Garden of Eden is well chronicled in the Old Testament in numerous accounts of floods, hail storms, droughts, etc. The harsh climate outside the Garden of Eden no doubt required special garments to provide cover, warmth and comfort. The importance of clothing is reinforced in the Old Testament through the sixty plus times that clothing is mentioned. There are many descriptions of animal skins and animal fur being used to produce garments for protective clothing. The Bible is filled with examples of man’s need for clothing for warmth and protection. One such example is in Job 31:19-21 where Job talks about providing warm garments to the needy so that they might not perish. Man has always worked to clothe himself.

Man works to shelter himself. There is clear documented evidence that in Patriarchal times Abraham, Issac and Jacob lived in tents. And it’s reasonable to assume that the art of tent making was likely derived by and passed down through ancestors who learned to knit animal skins together to provide cover from rain and other inclement weather. The Israelites were well known as sheep and goat herders. Sheep and goats not only provided food but their fur was woven together to make tent fabrics. Man hunted animals and raised goats and sheep to help provide shelter for him. In the Old Testament there are many references to the fortified cities that were constructed to provide sheltered protection from attackers. Jericho is one such fortified city of shelters described in the book of Joshua. Houses of the Old Testament provided shelter for man and often times provided shelter for domestic animals in the harsh winter climates. Man has always worked to provide shelter for himself.

It was God’s plan that man would work to provide food, clothing and shelter for himself and we are somewhat hardwired for it in our very nature. In future posts we will discuss how avoiding responsibility for work leads to life problems because of the conflict it causes personally, societally and spiritually. So the next Monday morning you feel that slight urge to play hooky from work you’ll have THREE BIBLICAL EXAMPLES THAT EXPLAIN MAN’S BASIC NEED AND DESIRE TO WORK to remind you why you need to head on in.

TWO KEY FACTS ABOUT THE BIBLICAL ORIGINS OF WORK

This is the first in a series of posts on work and why it is essential to our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.


In the New International Version the opening verse in the Bible reads “In the Beginning God created the Heavens and Earth”. At the same time it also says God Created Work. For those of you who may not recall that particular verse let me explain why you missed it…it’s not written “exactly” like that.

The entire first chapter of the Biblical book of Genesis details God’s creation of the Heavens and Earth. It tells the story of how God separated night from day; set the stars in the sky; and made the animals. Webster’s Dictionary defines work as [to] “Be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a purpose or result…” God’s acts of separating, setting and making are all verbs that imply physical and/or mental activity that took place to achieve the result of creating the Heavens and Earth and the things contained in them. By our modern day Webster’s definition God Created Work in the very beginning of time. Therefore work was created by God and has existed since the beginning of time.

If you’re over the shock of the fact that God Created Work let me provide you with one more fact. God Created Man to Work. Man was not created only to work, but was certainly created to work as an essential activity in life.  In the second Chapter of Genesis the story is told of how God created the Garden of Eden right after he created this little creature known as “man”. And in Genesis Chapter 2, verse 15 scripture says “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Did you get that? God created man, took the man and put him in the Garden to work. God Created Man to Work. From the beginning of time it was God’s design and intention that man work.

So there you have it. God created work and God created man to work. And as we travel through the next few posts in this series we’ll see just how much emphasis God places on work and why working is essential to our spiritual wellbeing. So the next time someone asks you “who the heck came up with the idea of work and who should be doing it anyway” you’ll be armed with the TWO KEY FACTS ABOUT THE BIBLICAL ORIGINS OF WORK which are that God Created Work and God Created Man to Work.

WHAT IF WE PRAYED



Photo from gospelcoalition.org



The Biblical Book of Acts tells the story of King Herod's wrongful imprisonment of Peter who was a disciple of Christ and a leader of the early Church.  Chapter 12 Verse 5 says "So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the Church to God."  Not only did the Church pray for Peter but in Verses 6 - 12 we are told that the Lord sent an Angel who supernaturally freed Peter from the prison.  Not much doubt that those prayers were answered in a big way.

Many leaders find themselves facing great trials much like Peter.  While they may not be physically imprisoned they are often restrained by the fear of the consequences of big decisions or may be paralyzed by indecision in the face of uncertainty.  The leaders sometimes find themselves in seemingly hopeless situations where their failure would most certainly affect their lives and the lives of those they lead.



Photo from Yates2.com

How many members pray for the leadership of their church routinely?  How many citizens pray for the leadership of their country each day?  How many employees regularly pray for the leaders of their organizations?  The Church learned thousands of years ago about the power of prayer and the miracles it could accomplish.


What if we fervently prayed:

• That our Pastors and Staff would be empowered with crystal clear teachings divinely delivered from God that spoke clearly to each and every person who heard the Word and those who heard the Word responded in complete obedience to the Word becoming servants in their communities and devoting themselves to making their communities places of peace, harmony and cooperation.
• That God would fill the hearts and minds of our President and nation's leaders with His commandments such that the actions and accomplishments of the leaders would result in the establishment of a nation where hard work, justice, respectfulness, kindness, service and selflessness were the cornerstones of daily life.
• That the Presidents and CEOs of large corporations would lead their organizations to seek the betterment of the consumers they serve, to make a positive difference in the lives of their employees and to seek to return even more to the communities they operate in than they take.

Almost everyone who has ever earnestly sought God in prayer knows that He answers prayers according to His will.  You wonder just how different our world could be.  WHAT IF WE PRAYED for the leaders in our lives routinely; what might God do for us?

WARNING SHOT

In Judges 14 the story of Samson's trip to claim his Philistine wife is told. Samson belonged to a people called the Nazirites. While there was no strict prohibition against a Nazirite marrying a Philistine woman, Samson was wrong in pursuing her because her people worshiped false gods. Samson's parents strongly advised him to consider marrying within his own tribe which were people who worshiped the living God. But Samson did not heed their wise counsel.

On his way to secure his Philistine bride Samson was surprised by an attack from a wild lion. God came to Samson's aid and gave him super human strength to kill the lion. Now you would think an encounter like that might cause one to reconsider the rest of the trip.  Not Samson.  Undeterred by the extraordinary encounter with the lion Samson continued on and collected his Philistine bride.

On the return trip to his home Samson passed by the dead lion carcass only to find it filled with delicious honey. It was so tempting that Samson tasted the honey. Other than being a little "gross" that probably doesn't sound like a big deal.  But the Nazirites lived by strict vows that prohibited them from touching anything dead as it was considered unclean.  So the decision to take a bride he shouldn't have put him in a position where he committed an even more serious offense against God.

Warning shots.  Everyone understands the concept.  You get too close to some place you're not supposed to be and someone fires a warning shot overhead.  Not meant to harm you but instead to make you stop and think about what you are about to do or enter.  I don't know for sure but for some reason I think God was trying to get Samson's attention with the lion encounter.  In a sense it was a warning shot.

Here are a few things as leaders we should consider about "warning shots":

• When wise people offer us counsel we should always take and weigh it very seriously.  We rarely see things we are close to or emotionally involved with as objectively as those who are removed from it.
• If we decide to proceed against the judgment of wise counsel we should be on the look out for signs that our decision may not have been well advised.  I'm not suggesting that we be "superstitious" or continually second guess ourselves.  But if we proceed against the recommedation of wise counsel just be sure that if something unusual happens along the "road" to the final objective to be sure to give the circumstances due consideration before continuing on.
• Even if you achieve your goal while going against the advice of wise counsel be cautious that your success does not blind you to other risks that may present themselves as benefits of your success.  It's easy to make a big mistake in a moment of supreme self-confidence.

While we may not always follow the advice of wise counsel we should always pay attention to things that happen along the way when we take a path that strays from the advice of wise counsel - just in case a WARNING SHOT gets fired.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HUMAN LIFE

A few weeks ago as I was travelling around I had occasion to hear a single statistic about abortion rates that had me in tears moments later as I began to think about what the statistic actually meant.  Surely, I thought, there was a better way than the horrible picture I had in my mind.  After some thought about it I came to realize there were alternatives to abortion that are simple, effective and achievable.  Elective abortions are not a necessary fact of life.

Here Are Some Facts about Abortion

Sonogram of Baby In Womb

According to statistics published by the Guttmacher Institute, a nationally recognized abortion information source, approximately 3,300 babies will be aborted today. In a year’s time approximately 1,200,000 (1.2 Million) babies will be aborted. Since 1973 approximately 55,000,000 (55 Million) babies have been aborted. And this is in the United States of America ALONE.

According to the world renowned Mayo Clinic within a couple weeks after conception a baby's organs are already forming. Just four weeks after conception the baby's heart is pumping blood. Within days after the heart begins to function the arms, legs, hands and feet begin to emerge. At seven weeks after conception the baby's arms grow, develop bones and bend at the elbow as toes form and eyelids and ears continue developing. Almost 40% of abortions occur after this point of development when the heart, head, brain, arms and legs are already formed in the womb.

According the Orlando Women’s Center the predominate methods of abortion in the United States are: Menstrual Extraction where a hand held manual suction device along with a sterile curette (a specially formed hook/scraper) is inserted inside the cervix and the "pregnancy tissue" is removed; Dilation and Curettage (D&C) where the cervix is anesthetized and dilated followed by insertion of a sterile curette the size of a straw inside the uterus and the "pregnancy tissue" is removed; Dilation and Evacuation (D&E) where the cervix is dilated and softened and where special forceps maybe be used to help to manually pull out the "pregnancy tissue" inside the uterus; and Medical Abortions where drugs are used to induce destruction and elimination of the "pregnancy tissue".

And Here Is Where It Starts

Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice the clear losers in the debate are the aborted children who are not afforded the right of choice. They are sentenced to death with no rights, no due process and no chance. Inside the womb in the one place a baby should be safe from harm they are poisoned, crushed during extraction or in effect stabbed and pulled out in other procedures. All these actions are considered crimes outside the womb and would be considered an atrocity of the greatest proportions if they were carried out against a baby outside the womb.

Yes, I’m aware I am using the terms “baby” and “inside the womb” together. Yes I am aware that makes me sound as if I am taking the position that a human life exists within the womb prior to the birthing process occurring. The question of exactly what this "pregnancy tissue" is that is chemically destroyed or mechanically extracted from the womb during abortion will be debated for time to come. Regardless which side of the debate you choose, let me make the proposition that elective abortion is almost always unnecessary if we accept responsibility for our personal actions and consider the following simple alternatives.

Alternatives to Abortion

The following simple alternatives could eliminate any possibility that a life is being taken during an elective abortion procedure:

Accountability is making the clear choice to take responsibility to raise a child that is conceived as a result of sexual intercourse. If you choose to have sex you choose to accept responsibility for any outcome.

Abstinence is making the clear choice to refrain from sexual intercourse to eliminate any possibility of unwanted conception occurring.

Contraception is making the clear choice to take responsible action to significantly reduce the possibility of unwanted conception occurring as a result of sexual intercourse.

Adoption is a responsible alternative for children born to parents who choose not to raise the children or are otherwise unable to care for the children.

There is no situation that can develop where one of these four alternatives is not preferable to elective abortion and the risk of being wrong about when life begins. But they all require that we accept personal responsibility for our actions.

In Closing

  

I’ve presented simple, reasonable and well known alternatives to elective abortions. I didn't come up with them.  They are not new or unique.  They are not based on religion.  They are not judgmental. They are alternatives that only require us to take personal responsibility for our own actions to avoid being placed in a situation where elective abortion becomes a consideration.

As a follower of Jesus Christ I cannot close without sharing what God has revealed in scripture that is relevant to the act of elective abortion.  These are not personal judgments about any one's actions.  They are simply statements of what is found in the Bible and why abortion tends to lead to other problems in our lives.

Life begins at conception in the womb. In Psalm 139:13-16 David says “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”  It's clear that life exists in the womb.  We inherently know it whether we choose to acknowledge it or not.  That is why many people become depressed and have difficulty dealing with the elective decision to abort a baby.

Elective abortion is sinful behavior...in fact the Bible considers it murder. Because I believe life begins at conception in the womb and Jesus said in Matthew 19:18 “…You shall not murder…” I have no choice but to accept that elective abortion is sinful and murder since the process of elective abortion is a willful act to end a life that has been conceived in the womb.  We are called to care for babies from conception as in Psalm 127:3 scripture says “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”  God places a sense of sanctity for life within each of us and that is another reason why many people become depressed and have difficulty dealing with the elective decision to abort a baby.

Personal responsibility for sexual activity prevents the need for the majority of elective abortions. The large majority of elective abortions are reported as performed on unmarried women.  That does not mean it is the sole responsibility of the unmarried woman.  The Bible is very clear that sex outside of marriage is not permissible for men or women. In I Thessalonians it is said “…that you abstain from sexual immorality;”. Scripture is clear that sex is only to occur between husband and wife as to do otherwise is immoral.  Immoral activity, sin, always leads to undesirable consequences - in the case of sex outside of marriage it can lead to the elective decision to abort a baby.

Forgiveness is available for those in need. If you or someone you know has chosen to electively abort a baby it is not a hopeless situation where we can never come to live with what has happened. We have all made mistakes in our lives and we all sin sometimes without understanding the full nature or consequences of our actions. The amazing thing about God’s grace is that He is willing to forgive us for any sins that we commit as stated in 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” No matter what we have done God will forgive us if we seek Him.  It is His Promise to us.  For information on God’s forgiveness you can visit ChristianAnswers.net at http://tinyurl.com/pqk4g or speak with a Christian pastor.

  

There are alternatives to elective abortion and they require that we TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HUMAN LIFE.

IF YOU TREAT YOUR EMPLOYEES FAIRLY AND JUSTLY YOU WILL FIND YOUR FAIR AND JUST REWARD

Much has been written in the 20th and 21st centuries about the responsibilities of business leaders. Peter Drucker, Stephen Covey, John Maxwell and others have written extensively on the subject. Many have approached the topic from a contemporary secular point of view and a select few have written from a more biblical perspective.

The Bible addresses the responsibilities of leaders in Colossians 4:1 as follows: “Masters give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in Heaven.”

Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary has this to say about Colossians 4:1; “Employers also have a duty not to take advantage of employees. Instead they should offer a just wage, proper benefits, and adequate rest. In contemporary societies, many of these benefits are required by government regulations.”

So if Colossians 4:1 is the leader’s instruction, let’s dig a little deeper. Part of the instruction is “to be fair”. The Online Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary says fair is “marked by impartiality and honesty: free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism.”

Impartiality implies treating all equally or indiscriminately. How many leaders’ careers have been shortened as a result of terminations and litigation resulting from discriminatory actions? A quick query through Google on the topic returned 1.4 million hits (in 0.42 seconds). It’s a safe bet it’s happened a time or two.

What can cause a leader to be impartial or to discriminate? Here are a couple of common pitfalls to avoid:

• Preferential Treatment - Some leaders fall into a trap of providing preferential treatment to those they befriend; those they have similar interests with; those who are of the same race or sex. In God’s eyes we are all the same. In Galatians 3:28 we read: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." God does not treat us preferentially. God is impartial, loves us all equally and we are likewise instructed to live in a God like manner.

• Dishonesty - Honesty is a component of fairness. We all believe we know what honesty is. James defined it like this in James 5:12: “But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.” In other words, be truthful. Speak the truth and act the truth. Lying and cheating are dishonest - period. In general, if you have doubts about whether you are being honest or not it would be best to examine your motives very carefully.

In summary, being a good Christian leader means to "do as you say you will do" while treating everyone in the same fair and just manner. Pay the employee who you share friendship with outside of work in the same manner as you do any other employee. Treat the employee who is of a different race or sex the same as you do the employee who is just like you. Do exactly what you commit to do even when it may come at a cost to you personally. As a leader IF YOU TREAT YOUR EMPLOYEES FAIRLY AND JUSTLY YOU WILL FIND YOUR FAIR AND JUST REWARD – the favor and blessings of God.