108. BLESSED AT YOUR WORK. Proverbs 22:29

The above Scripture is from Solomon he writes, “If you do your job well, you will work for a ruler and never be a slave.” But doing your job well is not genetic; you have to work at it. Sometimes this might mean burning the midnight oil, stretching to your limits and refusing to settle for less. As you watch true artisans working, you notice their attention to detail, their refusal to cut corners, their patience, dedication and the pride they take in their work. They inspire confidence and respect. There is not a more practical demonstration of true Christianity to be found anywhere. When they speak, people listen. If you doubt that, try sharing your faith with someone who sees you being dishonest, shoddy and careless with your responsibilities at home or at your work. It would be better to remain silent until you earn the right to be heard. In Colossians (3:17) we read: whatever your work “do it in the name of the Lord Jesus” Why? Because you represent Christ and His Spirit lives within you. You should set the industry standard for excellence at the company you work for. Your employees and customers should have confidence that they will get nothing but the best from you. Daniel, Shadrach, Mechachh, and Abednego , started out as slaves in Babylon, but ended up as the kings closest advisors. Why was that? Daniel (1:20) tells us;- Whenever the king asked for advice, he found that their advice was always ten times better than his own advisors could give him. God promises that excellent work will inevitably attract the attention of people who will promote and reward them. (Proverbs 22:29) says they may start at the bottom, but like cream they will rise to the top,” Cream doesn’t only rise to the top, but in the separation process it gets richer, smoother and tastier. Think about it! Hard work is another key to succeeding on the job. Hard work will reward you with more than enough. Any employer will tell you, their biggest challenge is finding and retaining good staff. Samuel again tells us in (Proverbs 10:4) Diligence makes rich and diligence means being self disciplined, motivated, alert, dependable also following through with things you start. Solomon tells us those qualities are priceless, because they are so hard to come by in an employee, so work on fostering those attributes and one day you will hit the top. The Bible teaches that your boss is responsible to pay you a fair days wage, and you are responsible to give him/her a fair days work. It makes sense to think if you want to prosper, make sure your employer prospers. Hard work is the way forward. “Work hard and you will be a leader, be lazy and you will end up a slave.” Instead of looking for ways to improve themselves, lazy employees sometimes try to find fault with their bosses, or with the systems they have to use, or even with their more diligent colleagues. These people want the privileges others get to enjoy, but are not willing to work for them. In (Proverbs 13:4) we read “The desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.” They get it all; The satisfaction of a job well done, a sense of self worth, a reputation for integrity, the trust of others, job security, profit, promotion and best of all the knowledge that they did it God’s way. “Well done good and faithful servant,” Here is another important key to being blessed on the Job, Thoughtfulness. This is true whether you are the Manager, foreman or the grounds caretaker. The name plate on your door may imply that you deserve respect, but you have to earn that respect everyday, through your work ethic and your attitude towards customers as well as other members of staff. In The Old Testament, most people earned their living by farming and raising cattle, sheep and Goats, So Solomon offered this advice; (Proverbs 27:23) “Know well the condition of your flock, and give attention to your herds” Good leaders make it their business to know the needs, strengths, weaknesses, potential and motivational levels of those who work with them. As a result, employees sick-time is reduced, morale is improved, quality and productivity soar. Believe it or not, a pay increase is not always the only answer or motivator. Sometimes, your thoughtfulness, understanding and interest in an employee can also be a powerful motivator. When you truly care about people, you will bring out the best in them. And if you are an employee, God promises, in ( Proverbs 27:18) “He who guards his master will be honoured” If you keep criticizing those above you, those around you will begin to distrust you. As long as you resent your position as a follower, you will never become qualified to be a leader. The Bible relates in (Titus 3;1-2 We are supposed to speak well of those who are in authority over us. And if you can’t do that, say nothing and look for another job. I’m sorry if that all sounds a bit harsh, but that’s the way to be blessed at your work. One more thing. Honesty;- in order to be blessed on the job Remember this: :(Proverbs 10:2) “Treasures gained dishonestly, profits no one” We must all practise honesty, it’s unwise to steal, even if you are never caught and nobody ever sees you, God Does “Ill gotten gains profit no one” When you do wrong, not only will you have trouble, but you will bring trouble on those who love you and depend on you. The Word of God says:”(Proverbs 15:27) Whoever is greedy for unjust gain, troubles his own household” Think about it!! You could lose your job, damage your reputation, be humiliated, face costs and legal consequences which your whole family pays for, and end up in shame, all of which will negatively effect your children. Your spouse deserves an honest partner. Your children deserve an honest role model, confident that the path you walk is safe for them to follow. Radio commentator Paul Harvey stated that 40 per cent of American workers admitted to stealing on the job, and 25 percent of them felt justified in doing so. From what I’ve seen and heard New Zealand is on a par with the U S. They rationalise it by saying ‘Everybody does it, why shouldn’t I...The Boss can afford it..., They won’t miss it...It’s only small stuff, It wont make any difference...The company owes me, so I’m just taking what is mine...I deserve it, I’ve worked hard and never been acknowledged. Now, What does God have to say about this? (Proverbs 11:18) “The wicked person earns deceptive wages” When you deceive your employer the Lord says you are a wicked person. Who would you call or consider “A Wicked Person,” A car thief, A child molester, A drunk or druggy, or a murderer; if you don’t want to join the ranks of wicked persons, stop stealing now, before the problem gets too big for you to handle. Keep your hands off what doesn’t belong to you. Of all people, Employers and Customers should be able to trust a follower of Christ, to be honest, to earn their wages, and provide quality service. Thank you for reading this word on one of the most under-preached or taught of God’s Commandments. There will be no excuses on that day when we stand before God. We wont be able to say “I didn’t understand, or It was just a little thing, or Everybody was doing it. THOU SHALT NOT STEAL it couldn’t be any clearer. Pray; OH God give us the strength to keep our hands off what doesn’t belong to us and to overcome this problem by the power of Your Holy Spirit. God bless. Phaline.

107.Handling Disappointments. Proverbs 24:16.

We all have to deal with disappointments at some stage in our lives, that’s just a fact of life. So we need to learn how to handle them, and more importantly, teach our children to do the same. Firstly instead of getting into a tizzy about it, talk to God about your disappointment, and get His perspective on the matter, asking God Why? Seldom gets an answer, so just accept what has happened and ask God to point you in the right direction to see and accomplish His Will in the process of it. Even in little things God has a perspective, and He will lead you to see it and understand. Try this with small matters, and as you grow to rely more on God, so will your faith and trust in Him increase. I am going to show you five different kinds of “Disappointments” which we all have to deal with from time to time, and hopefully, you, as a Bible-believing Christian may learn how to handle them.. (1) Disappointment in yourself.- This is the most debilitating kind of disappointment because it can put you into a downward spiral that’s hard to recover from. Reading from (Matthew 26:33) Peter experienced it. He swore loyalty to Christ saying,’Everyone else may abandon you, but not me. I’m yours until death’ Yet he denied Christ three times. Later he remembered Christ’s words (v34) ‘Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times’ Peter, heartbroken by his failure, according to (Luke 22;62) went outside and wept bitterly. Maybe you’re thinking ‘Lord, how could you use someone like me?’ Jesus wasn’t shocked, He was aware of Peter’s flaws when He called him. But he was also aware of His outspoken disciple’s tender heart, so He chose to extend grace, rather than cast him aside. (In Mark 16:7) When Christ gave His post-resurrection orders to; ‘Tell His disciples and Peter’ to meet Him in Galilee. He reaffirmed His choice of this failed disciple; The remainder of Peter’s story is one of victory. So when you sin, or fail and disappoint yourself, (1) Humble yourself and repent, confess your sin, don’t excuse, rationalise or blame circumstances or somebody else. (2) receive God’s forgiveness and grace by faith not feelings. Don’t let Satan convince you that you are beyond God’s reach and grace, you are not. (3) Don’t add insult to injury by letting disappointment mire you in hopelessness and despair. (4) Get the help you need to get back on track, sooner rather than later (2) Disappointment in Leadership. It would be reasonable to assume you could trust Eli Israel’s High Priest. That’s what Samuel’s mother thought when she entrusted her son to him. Confident Eli would mentor him for God’s service. But that High Priest had a serious character flaw. He was a weak parent one who stood by while his sons abused their priestly privileges. Who would have blamed young Samuel for taking a nosedive when the man he looked up to failed so badly? But no! He fielded his disappointment and kept his eyes on God (1Samuel 3:19) tells us ‘Samuel grew and The Lord was with him’ As a result he became one of Israel’s greatest prophets. So, how do you handle disappointments in your leadership? By keeping your eyes on the Lord. We need to be very careful when we observe faults in our leadership. First of all you probably don’t have all the facts or understand all the circumstances and secondly, keep in mind Satan is intent on breaking down what God is building up and thirdly don’t use a hammer to crack an egg, Be Gentle in confrontation. (3) Disappointment in your family: Look at Joseph. When God gave him a vision of future success, his brothers responded with resentment and bitterness; selling him into slavery, far from friends and home. He languished in prison for years for a crime he didn’t commit, what an invitation to rehash the wrongs done to you while plotting your revenge!. But if Joseph had done that, he would have died an unknown convict in a foreign prison. Instead, he allowed God to vindicate him. And God will do that for you too.(Isaiah 54:17)) says ‘No weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up against you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord, Their vindication will come from me, I The Lord have spoken.” (4) Disappointment With whom you Work:- When the people you count on fail you, it’s painful imagine Moses’ disappointment, he leaves his brother Aaron in charge while he spends forty days up mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments. When he returns, what does he find? Israel worshipping a golden calf – Made by his brother Aaron. When Moses needs him most, Aaron fails him miserably. But true leadership shines in disappointment Moses confronts Aaron, takes the mess to God and prays for the forgiveness of Israel. God responds, then reminds Moses of his assignment. (Exodus 32-34) “Go lead the People...my angel will go before you” Disappointment doesn’t cancel your assignment – or God’s presence.. So do what God has told you to do. (5) Disappointment in those you’ve poured your life into:-Let’s check in again with Moses, ‘Founding pastor of the church in the wilderness.’ His congregations is made up of former slaves who have been delivered and blessed, and who are en route to the Promised Land. But without a shred of loyalty or gratitude for the man who has laid everything on the line to make it possible. Fresh out of Egypt, they turn on Moses accusing, blaming and berating him (see Exodus 14) Was Moses disappointed and hurt? Yes, but each time he wanted to give up, he discussed it with God, prayed for his complaining flock, got fresh orders from Headquarters and returned to work. Now, That’s what God-called men and women to do when they are disappointed and feel like giving up and that’s what you and I must do too. Thank you for reading these thoughts on handling disappointments, life would be much better without them, but unfortunately they are ’par for the course’ and we all don’t think alike; what a boring world it would be if we did!. I’m sure our spiritual training is enhanced when and how we respond to disappointment; Our God has broad shoulders, He has no problem with us crying on them as we receive the comfort His Holy Spirit so freely brings with Him as He points us in to Jesus. Worth a thought or two. God Bless. Phaline.

106. THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD 1 Thessalonians 2:13.

The above Scripture reads “When you received God’s Word from us, you realised it was not human words...you accepted it for what it really is – “God’s Word.” The seriousness of those two words should send us into a spin, why? What makes you or I think we are worthy enough to be recipients of a word from Almighty God? Answer, His Gracious, all encompassing love for us. Yes he loves you and me so much that He wants to have regular conversations with us. You may ask “How can I do that?”Just find a quiet place and time, (just as you would if you are going to send someone an email) And the first thing to do is to put in your password. (Jesus) (That’s my pass word, and it can be yours too. I take seriously what Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” And that’s why “Jesus” is my Password. Now everything I think and say passes through Jesus And I can be sure, all I pray for will be heard by The Father. Now I am going to give you four Scriptures you must believe about God’s Word, for that very reason. They are in The Bible and the Bible is, “God’s Word.” (1) It is life changing:- In the parable of the sewer, Jesus said, (Luke 8:11) “The seed is the Word of God.” you may not understand the power within a seed, but you know that when you sow it in receptive soil, it will spring to life:; it wont just sit there and do nothing, it will produce fruit. Likewise your Bible contains the Word (seed) of God, which also effectively works in you when you are (receptive soil) (those who believe.) (2) It Works.:- (Isaiah 55:11) “My Word... will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and will achieve the purpose for which I sent it” Note the word ‘sent’ Every word God speaks is on a mission and is guaranteed to accomplish that mission in accordance with His Will, His strategy and His Timing. (3) It’s A Creative Word;- 2 Peter 3:5) “By God’s Word the Heavens came into being and the earth was formed.” God’s Word was powerful enough to create all that exists; He didn’t strive or sweat, He just spoke and it came into being.. So Speak God’s Word. Learn it, trust it, use it. (4) It’s A Word of Authority;- “Luke 4:32,36. “They were astonished at His teachings, for His Word was with authority...they were all amazed… saying ’What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” The Forces of darkness around you today must recognise and submit to God’s Word, so stand firmly on it. You have the authority and the Power. In Psalm (119”89) We read, “your word is settled in heaven.” Therefore it should be a settled issue in your life. In (Mark 13:31) Jesus said;- “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away”. The Bible which contains God’s Word, never needs updating, it’s perfect and can never be improved upon: That’s why in (John 15:7) Jesus instructed you and me “Let My Word remain in you” in other words, programme your mind with the Scriptures.. How do you do that? (1) give it permanent residence, not visitor status. (Colossians 3:16) “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” Take it in richly meaning copiously and abundantly. Call it “Operation Saturation”. Read the Bible meditate on it, speak it out loud. Yes, and even sing its words: “Teach them to each other and even sing them out in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs” (2) Keep it before you at all times. (Joshua 1:8) “Keep the book of the law always on your lips: meditate on it day and night...do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Talk it out, think it out, walk it out. “But” you say “my memory doesn’t retain things too well.” That wont be a problem. Why? Because Jesus Himself said (John.14:26) “The Advocate, The Holy Spirit, whom The Father will send in my name… will remind you of everything I have said to you. “As you meditate on God’s Word The Holy Spirit will come to the aid of your less-than-perfect memory. If you want progress in your Christian walk, Your mind must be governed by The Word of God, not by your impulses, your thoughts or your opinion. Jesus said in (Matthew 7:24) “Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine and DOES them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” This builder’s foundation withstood life’s storms Now go down to verses (26-27 ) On the other hand, Jesus said “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does NOT do them is foolish and the storms of life will sweep them away”Jesus didn’t condemn the second man, for building an inadequate shelter, or failing to hear, understand and believe His words, but failing to ACT on them. James writes (James 1:22-25) “Obey God’s message, don’t fool yourselves by just listening to it… God will bless you in everything you do if you LISTEN and OBEY and don’t just hear and forget.” If you think, reading, knowing and even believing God’s Word fulfils your obligation to it, you are mistaken. Because it’s God’s Word, and His instructions must be obeyed, that requires not just believing it, but behaving according to it. James didn’t say you will be blessed because of what you believe, but because of what you DO. (Exodus 24:7) When Moses read God’s Word to the Israelites they said “All that The Lord has said we will DO and be OBEDIENT.” And that must be our rule too. Thank you for reading these thoughts on The Word of God. In the world today, there are not too many people whose word we can truly believe, trust and rely on, but to have the privilege of knowing Jesus Christ The Son of God, who said “I am THE WAY, I am THE TRUTH, I am THE LIFE” brings a tremendous blessing. So hang on to Him and follow His footsteps wherever they may take you to know, understand and DO His Word. God Bless us all as we follow His footsteps and Word. Phaline.

105. WHEN IN DARK TIMES. Psalm 112:4.

Faith is like film, it is developed in the dark. Dark days make us lean on God. The truth is, if our faith was never tested, we would never be motivated to draw closer to Him. The Hymnist Edward Mote penned these words “ When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace...When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ, The Solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand. It’s easy to praise God when your health is good and the bills are paid. But it’s during the dark days that you discover just exactly what your faith is made of. And where your trust truly lies; in yourself, in others or in God. When your days feel as dark as your nights, here is a scripture to stand on from (Isaiah 50:10) “Let the one who walks in the dark, he who has no light, trust in the name of The Lord and rely on their God”. Job lived an exemplary life. Yet he lost everything. Troubled and perplexed, he cried (Job 19:8) “He has blocked my way so I cannot pass: He has shrouded my path in darkness.” Job could see no way through or around His situation. Then he discovered that when you can’t find the reason, you can trust the relationship. Then we read:-(Job:42:5) “My ears have heard of you, but now I see you” When he made that discovery everything changed (Job 42:12) “and The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part.” What God did for Job, He will do for you. When you acknowledge and trust Him completely. In (Mark 6:48) we read, “About the forth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea… and when they saw Him...they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out..But immediately He… said to them, ‘Be of good cheer, it is I; do not be afraid,’ “ (Mark 6:48-51) then He went up into the boat to them and the wind ceased“ Darkness isn’t always the work of the enemy; sometimes it’s one of God’s greatest teaching tools. I believe, one of the best times to get to know God is when we go through storms with Him: and by reaching that place where you think “”If God doesn’t come through for me in this situation, then I’m sunk.” That’s when He comes to you walking on the sea. Jesus said to His Disciples (Matt:10,27) “What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight.” It’s in your darkest moments that God will give you some of your greatest insights. In (Psalm139:12) The Psalmist said “ To you then light shines as bright as day” So instead of running from your problems, ask God to develop your night vision, and show you as He showed Isaiah in (45:3) “treasures of darkness… hidden riches of secret places.” And one more thought: When the darkness you’re experiencing is God-ordained, don’t try to create your own light. (Isaiah 50:10-11) says “If you are walking in darkness without a ray of light, trust in The Lord and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light...You will soon fall down in great torment.” When you are in darkness by divine design, you don’t have to be afraid, God has promised to bring you through. Remind Him of His promise to you. “Whatever you ask in my name, it will be done for you.” This is only a short word, but, it can encompasses a great deal, it can tell you about the depth of your faith, If you allow Jesus to expose it to you, He will assure you of the very presence of God and give you the encouragement you require to depend and trust in Him regardless of the outcome. Yes, there is a lot in it, so it may be worth reading a second time.. Thank you for reading this word on “What to do when are in a Dark Place” Turn to God; Believe,Trust and obey, He will turn the light on for you. which ever way He does that will be best for you and all. concerned. You may not see or agree with Him at the time, but that’s only because you can’t see your future, but He can. Doing it this way proves to God that you truly do love and trust Him and your reward will be guaranteed for eternity. God Bless. Phaline. ------------------------------