Friday... The weekend is coming.

For many Friday is the last day of the work week and the weekend is coming. And they are so excited.

I have a standard joke that I know some get tired of me saying. But I say that I never have a day off, I never have a vacation, I am always retired and it took me a lifetime to get this job. And all of that is true and for many that is what they are looking forward to. There are so many that would love to just quit what they are doing.

The truth is, I loved what I was doing and I had some problems with retirement until I realized that God still had a purpose for me and that I wasn't quitting, I was still living the life God had given to me.

Now there is this verse written by Paul in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians church. It is in chapter 4 verse 1 (NLT) and it says, "Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up." Another way to say the word way in this verse is ministry." We are not doing what we do because some human gave us a job. God in his mercy gave what we do to us. We are doing what we do for God. What we do is a gift given to us by God and his mercy. And for many that is a different way to see what we do.

We are still doing what he has given us to do even in the weekend, even on vacation, even when we are home. And we are to never give up.

The Amplified Bible says it this way, "Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as we received mercy [from God, granting us salvation, opportunities, and blessings], we do not get discouraged nor lose our motivation." That tells it like it is, doesn't it?

And then The Message, "Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we're not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times." You may need to put that verse up somewhere so you can see it everyday.

Now the phrase that came to me this morning was, "we never give up." "we never give up." Now we may need to change some directions but we still need to never give up on the opportunities that God has given to us by his mercy.

The NIRV says, "So because of God's mercy, we have work to do. He has given it to us. And we don't give up." And remember, God is right beside you.

And Proverbs 28:19 (NLT) has an encouraging word for us, "A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chase fantasies ends up in poverty." Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

Comments

Monday... He did it by Himself

Isaiah 44:24b (AMP), "I am the Lord, Maker of all things. Who alone stretches out the heavens, Who spreads out the earth by Myself." Monday... He did it by Himself. Many have a tendency to think very highly of themselves and what they can do. Oh we do have great ability but we are not the source. Yes it is important to have self-confidence but we are limited. The prophet Isaiah in 44:9-10 (NLT) says, "How foolish are those who manufacture idols. These prized objects are really worthless. The people who worship idols don't know this, so they are all put to shame. Who but a fool would make his own god - an idol that cannot help him one bit?" Now later in verse 24 (AMP) he writes, "For the Lord, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb says, 'I am the Lord, Maker of all things, Who alone stretches out the heavens, Who spreads out the earth by Myself.'" I love that. "By Myself." Now we do need confidence but we are foolish to ma...

Wednesday... It didn't just happen.

Psalm 16;10 (NLT), "For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave." Wednesday... It didn't just happen. We are headed into a weekend of deep emotion. One that we really really love was killed and it didn't just happen. David in Psalm 16:10 (NLT) writes of this happening. He says about God, "For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave." We read over in the Gospels at the beginning of the New Testament in the Bible of the life of God's Son who came to earth to be our sacrifice so that our soul would not be left among the dead. Jesus came so that we wouldn't have to be buried at death and just left there. But he also shares that Jesus who was going to be killed as a sacrifice for our sins would not have to rot in a grave. David many generations before foretold this and that is what happened. Now that had to be a God thing. We can guess a lot about our future and we d...

Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do

Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT), "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and the stars you set in place - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do. No, not the fact that I can go out my front door and look out at night at the marvels of the sky. I can do that and it is amazing and it takes my breath away each time I see it. Yes, that is a fact but the reality of who did that and the wisdom and the faith that I have to believe that and to marvel that the one who did that cares about me makes such a difference in how I live my life. Yes, God really does. That is so wonderful for us to believe. And that is why faith and wisdom are so important. Now whatever belief you have at how that marvel happened must also be believed through faith. And the sad thing to me is that more and more people have been taught that there is no God and therefore he did not have a h...

Todays Beginning

Search This Blog