Skip to main content

Wednesday... Now this can and does make such a difference.


Wednesday... Now this can and does make such a difference.

And we are seeing a real attitude problem in the day in which we are living.

Now the word encouragement can mean we are striving to lift people up when they are down but it also can be striving to get others to do better. And our attitude in that can make such a difference.

Paul in his second letter to the Thessalonians in 3:8-10 (NLT) says, "We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to be an example to follow. Even when we were with you, we gave you this command: 'Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.'"  

He goes on in verses 11-12, "Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people's business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn a living." Now the word urge could be encouraged. 

Now back in Proverbs 13 King Solomon encourages people in this area. In verse 4 he says, "Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper."

Verse 11, "Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time." The Message says, "Easy come, easy go, but steady diligence pays off."

Verse 14 (NLT), "People who despise advice are asking for trouble; those who respect a command will succeed."

Those are tremendous words to encourage us and Paul also says this in verses 13-14, "As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good. Take note of those who refuse to obey what we said in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed." But he then says, and this but is so important. You see our attitude does make such a difference. And this is where so many of us have a real problem. We may be hard workers. We may respect a command. We may not be idle. But we also could have a real attitude.

Paul gives this encouragement in verse 15 (MSG). He says, "But don't treat them as an enemy. Sit down and talk about the problem as someone who cares." You see, our attitude does make such a difference. Instead of pointing a finger, reach out with open arms. Not as their enemy but as one who cares, really cares.

And we as believers need to be encouraged in this. The NLT says, "Don't think of them as enemies, but warn them as brothers and sisters." Our attitude can and does make such a difference. 

In verse 5 Pauls says, "May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ." This needs to be a personal prayer. "May the Lord lead MY heart into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ." Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday... It is so worth it. It really is!

Tuesday... It is so worth it. It really is! Look at this, Proverbs 5:21-23 (CEV) says, "The Lord sees everything, and he watches us closely. Sinners are trapped and caught by their own evil deeds. They get lost and die because of their foolishness and lack of self-control." That is true of so many. Now look at this, Luke 15:1-7 says, "Tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus. So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses started grumbling, 'This man is friendly with sinners. He even eats with them.' Then Jesus told them this story: If any of you has 100 sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won't you leave the 99 in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? And when you find it, you will put it on your shoulder and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, 'Let's celebrate! I've found my lost sheep.' Jesus said, 'In the same way there is mo...
Post a Comment
Read more

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together!

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together! They really do. And this is what caught my attention this morning as I was reading Proverbs 2. Verse 1 (NRSVUE) says, "My child, if you accept my words and treasure my commands within you." Verse 3 (NIV), "Indeed i f you call  out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, Verse 4, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, Verse 5, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." And verses 9-11, " Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you." There will always be some effort we must do, some ifs for the thens to be realized in our lives. So many of us want to understand without the ifs. But the thens are so worth, so very worth the effort. Verses 5-6 in the Ampli...
Post a Comment
Read more