"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from The Lord as a reward. It is The Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism." Colossians 3:23-25 (NIV)
The Apostle Paul told the people that they should do their best at whatever they do, as if they were working for The Lord. His point was that ultimately they were serving The Lord.
As believers we know that non-believers will make judgements about all Christians based upon what they see in our behavior. Therefore, all of our daily activities can be viewed as kingdom building activities. So, we should always do our best at whatever we are doing, because we are a reflection of Him. In the end, He will be the one to reward us.
Showing posts with label works. Show all posts
Showing posts with label works. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Aim To Please God In All That You Do
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for The Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from The Lord as a reward. It is The Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism." Colossians 3:23-25 (NIV)
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom ... The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: " Ecclesiastes 9:10-12 (NIV)
These two passages of scripture basically make the same point. As King Solomon wrote to all who would listen and the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians at Colossae, when you work, "... do it with all your might ..." and "... work at it with all your heart ..." as if you are working for The Lord.
Everyone who is old enough to have even a vague understanding of life knows that they will die, they just don't know when it will happen. There is a purpose for our life, and a purpose for everything that we say and do. However, if that purpose was not to give God glory, then it was a wasted effort. We should do our best at everything that we do, because ultimately we are doing it to please God. Man's abilities do not guarantee good results or a positive outcome during life, or at life's end. In the end, God will judge our efforts, and the reward for our labor will come from God, not from man.
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom ... The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: " Ecclesiastes 9:10-12 (NIV)
These two passages of scripture basically make the same point. As King Solomon wrote to all who would listen and the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians at Colossae, when you work, "... do it with all your might ..." and "... work at it with all your heart ..." as if you are working for The Lord.
Everyone who is old enough to have even a vague understanding of life knows that they will die, they just don't know when it will happen. There is a purpose for our life, and a purpose for everything that we say and do. However, if that purpose was not to give God glory, then it was a wasted effort. We should do our best at everything that we do, because ultimately we are doing it to please God. Man's abilities do not guarantee good results or a positive outcome during life, or at life's end. In the end, God will judge our efforts, and the reward for our labor will come from God, not from man.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
What's On Your Mind, How Pure Are Your Thoughts?
"Commit thy works unto The Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established." Proverbs 16:3
Having trouble thinking sinful thoughts, then get busy working for The Lord. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." Unknown Keep yourself and your mind occupied with Godly activities, like reading The Word of God, or doing something to be a helpful blessing to others.
While it is possible to deceive others, and do the "right thing for the wrong reasons", God knows our true motives. If we submit to the will of God, He will direct our thoughts and fulfill our righteous plans.
We need to clean up our thoughts, as well as our words and actions, and we need God's help to do it. Remember, as a man "... thinketh in his heart, so is he;" Proverbs 23:7
Having trouble thinking sinful thoughts, then get busy working for The Lord. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." Unknown Keep yourself and your mind occupied with Godly activities, like reading The Word of God, or doing something to be a helpful blessing to others.
While it is possible to deceive others, and do the "right thing for the wrong reasons", God knows our true motives. If we submit to the will of God, He will direct our thoughts and fulfill our righteous plans.
We need to clean up our thoughts, as well as our words and actions, and we need God's help to do it. Remember, as a man "... thinketh in his heart, so is he;" Proverbs 23:7
Monday, November 15, 2010
Trial By Fire
All that we think, say, and do will be judged on that final day. As Christians we will be judged to see what we did to give God glory.
Our works will be like a building upon the foundation of our belief in Jesus The Christ.
Paul taught them and us about Jesus and said, "... I have laid the foundation ..."
"... But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For no other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
"Now if any man build upon the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble.
"Every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
All of our works will be either "gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble". The gold, silver and precious stones will be things that give God glory and they will pass through the fire with us and result in a reward in heaven for us. However, all that is wood , hay and stubble will be lost, burnt up in the fire, and shall amount to nothing.
Will you have any rewards in heaven? Only what you do for Christ will last.
Our works will be like a building upon the foundation of our belief in Jesus The Christ.
Paul taught them and us about Jesus and said, "... I have laid the foundation ..."
"... But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For no other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
"Now if any man build upon the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble.
"Every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
All of our works will be either "gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble". The gold, silver and precious stones will be things that give God glory and they will pass through the fire with us and result in a reward in heaven for us. However, all that is wood , hay and stubble will be lost, burnt up in the fire, and shall amount to nothing.
Will you have any rewards in heaven? Only what you do for Christ will last.
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