Encourage One Another

Encouragement is part of God's character. Our God is called the God of comfort, patience and consolation. He is the God who "comforts those who are cast down."

Each time we meet, you always say
Some word of praise that makes my day.
You see some hidden, struggling trait,
Encourage it and make it great.

Tight fisted little buds of good
Bloom large because you said they would.
A glad, mad music in me sings;
My soul sprouts tiny flaming wings.

My day takes on a brand-new zest
Your encouragement brings out my best,
Revives my spirit, flings it high;
For God loves praise, and so do I.

Encouragement is part of God's character. Our God is called the God of comfort, patience and consolation. He is the God who "comforts those who are cast down." Romans 15:5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5; 7:6-8.

He gives us "everlasting consolation" 2 Thessalonians 2:16. He never gives up encouraging us! He gives us "strong encouragement" Hebrews 6:18. God constantly encourages us in His word. He continually exhorts us to "Fear not!" When Jesus was on earth, He constantly encouraged with the words, "Be of good cheer...Be not afraid." This is the desire of God's heart. He constantly wants to encourage us. But He can only tangibly do this through His people, His body.

Every day He wants to load us with blessings!

Every day He wants to encourage us!

Every day He wants to cheer us up and inspire us!

But He is looking for vessels through whom He can minister. That's why He commands us in Hebrews 3:13 to "Encourage one another daily." He doesn't tell us to do it once a month! Or even once a week when you see one another at church. No! He exhorts us to encourage each other every day!

Can you just imagine what would happen to a body of God's people if each one was being encouraged by someone else every day - and each believer was encouraging someone else? It would be very difficult to be laid low with depression. It would be hard to backslide. It would be difficult to get into unbelief.

God understands the frailty of our hearts and how easily we can get discouraged and despondent. That's why He has given us this commandment. Read Hebrews 3:12,13 again: "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But encourage one another daily, while it is called Today, LEST any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." God doesn't want us to go astray. That's why He commands us to encourage one another every day.

The Living Bible translation of Proverbs 12:25 says, "A word of encouragement does WONDERS." One word of encouragement can change someone's life. One act of love and kindness can turn someone's life around. Encouragement can do wonders in your marriage relationship and in your family.

Your husband will change when you stop nagging and start encouraging. Your children will thrive and blossom on encouragement. The atmosphere in your home will change. You will even be healthier. Discouraging words can make people sick. Positive, life-giving words give health.

• "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." Proverbs 16:24
• "The tongue of the wise is health." Proverbs 13:17
• "A faithful ambassador is health." Proverbs 12:18

As you wake each morning and spend time with God before you start the day, ask God to show you who He wants you to encourage this day. Give God time for Him to speak to you. As you wait, He will show you. Then ask Him what He wants you to do. He will show you creative ways to encourage that will change peoples lives. Take time every day to think about each one of your children and how you can inspire them. Take time each day to think about your husband and of uncouraging things you can say to him.

I remember one lovely incident when I was teaching on this subject back in New Zealand many years ago. One dear young mother, who lived across the road from me, began to wait on the Lord each morning for God to show her who He wanted her to encourage.

God burdened her heart with a widow who lived down the street. She felt that she should do something practical for her and also visit her. She baked some scones, but felt that it wasn't enough. So she went down to the shop and looked around for a little gift to purchase for her. As she looked to the Lord to guide her, she felt drawn to a little vase, that would only hold one flower. She took the scones and the gift to this widow who was so blessed by her love and thoughtfulness.

However, God wasn't finished yet! Another sister was also waiting on God and he burdened her heart with this same widow! "What do you want me to do to encourage her?" she asked the Lord. She felt God touching her heart to buy some flowers for her. Off she went to the florist shop to buy a big bunch of flowers, but when she got there, she felt impressed by the Lord to purchase only one flower, a lovely specimen!

Can you imagine how blessed this dear widow felt when the second sister arrived a few minutes later with the one flower to put in the vase that would hold just one flower? She realized how much God loved her and thought about her. And these ladies were so thrilled to know that they were sensitive and obedient to the Lord.

God is wanting to do special things like this every day for every one of us - if only we would take time to listen to Him and obey His prompting. This is supernatural living. This is walking in the Spirit.

Over the years I have encouraged folk to make a Encouragement Check List for themselves. Across the page write the days of the week. Down the side write a) the name of your husband, 2) the names of each of your children, and 3) a space for someone else outside your home. At the end of each day, check your list to see if you have encouraged your husband and each one of your children - and also blessed someone outside your home. Do this for a few weeks until you get into the habit of encouraging DAILY!

To be an encourager, you have to stop thinking about yourself and give some room in your mind and heart for others. I will never forget some words God spoke to me years ago. ."Nancy," He said, "how can I reveal to you the needs of others if you are always thinking about yourself." Oh how true this is.

If all our thoughts are on ourselves, we will have no room for God to reveal to us the needs of others. Just as we have a certain limit of physical strength, so we have a certain limit of emotional capacity. If all our emotions are spent on ourselves, we will not have any left to pour out on others.

No wonder the scripture says in Philippians 2:3, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." The Living Bible says, "Don't just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and in what they are doing."

It's a good idea to have encouraging cards ready and on hand to send to those whom God puts on your heart. Encourage and bless the older people, especially those who are widows and those who are living on their own. Always positively encourage the mothers who are "with child." Bless the lonely. And don't forget to give encouraging words to children, too. Don't leave them aside.

We are either a spirit dampener or a spirit refresher! Which are you? Be inspired by these scriptures:

• "We have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother." Philemon 7,20.
• "We were comforted in your comfort; yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all." 2 Corinthians 7:7,13
• "The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me." 2 Timothy 1:16. I love the Amplified translation of this scripture - "May the Lord grant His mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, for he often showed me kindness and ministered to my needs - comforting and reviving and bracing me like fresh air."
• "Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus...they have oft refreshed my spirit and yours." 1 Corinthians 16:17,18.
• "He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25 NIV.
• "Therefore encourage each other and build each other up." 1 Thessalonians 5:11, JNT
• "So let us concentrate on the things that make for harmony, and on the growth of one another's character." Romans 14:19 J.B. Phillips.
• "Let us outdo one another in being helpful and kind to each other." Hebrews 10:24 TLB
• "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:18
• "A word spoken in due season, how good it is." Proverbs 15:23
• "So go cheering and strengthening each other." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 J.B. Phillips.
• "Let us outdo one another in being helpful and kind to each other." Hebrews 10:24 TLB.
• "The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth my ear to hear as the learned." Isaiah 50:4.
• "So let us concentrate on the things that make for harmony, and on the growth of one another's character." Romans 14:19 J.B. Phillips

 

NANCY CAMPBELL

 

If we feel a kindly thought,
Warm and helpful - then we ought
Not to keep it close and tight,
But instead, with all our might
LET'S SAY SO!

If we feel a thought of praise
For our neighbor's words or ways
Which should cheer him on his way,
Streak with gold his hours of grey -
LET'S SAY SO!

But so often - what a shame
Though we're free enough with blame,
Out of shyness, out of pride,
Help and praise we somehow hide -
LET'S SAY SO!

Certainty In Uncertain Times

What are the anchors that will hold us strong and secure in difficult times?

We’ll find these anchors in the Word of God, which gives us the principles for all of life – for good times and for bad. I am a great advocate for having a biblical basis for everything I believe and everything I base my life on. If I can’t find it in the Word of God, it is too shaky for me. Hebrews 12:27 tells us that only “those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” When we stake our life on the principles in God’s Word, we will never be shaken. Therefore let’s look at what God has to say. What are our anchors?

1.  UNSHAKEABLE FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOUR AND LORD OF OUR LIVES.

2 Timothy 1:12, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”

1 John 5:1-5, “For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

John 16:33; Romans 8:31-39; Hebrews 12:26-29; 1 Peter 4:19.

Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ, the son of the living God?

2.  UNSHAKEABLE FAITH IN THE ETERNAL KINGDOM.

Psalm 37:18, “The Lord knows the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever.”

Daniel 4:3, “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.”  Daniel 4:17, 27.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

1 John 5:11,12, “And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that has the Son has life: and he that has not the Son of God has not life.”

Do you know that you have eternal life? Do you have this glorious hope of “Christ in you, the hope of glory”?

3.  UNSHAKEABLE FAITH IN THE WORD OF GOD.

Isaiah 40:8, “The word of our God shall stand forever.”

Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Psalm 19:7-10; 1 Peter 1:25.

Is the basis for your life founded on the Word of God?

Everything else will be shaken!

4.   UNSHAKEABLE TRUST IN GOD, KNOWING THAT HE HAS ALL THINGS IN HIS CONTROL.

Job 13:15, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust Him.”

Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” No matter what happens in our lives, we can trust God, knowing that He is a faithful God, and is working everything out for our ultimate good.

Read also Genesis 45: 7,8; 50:20; Psalm 9:7-10, Psalm 37:39; Psalm 46:1-3; Jeremiah 17:8, Romans 8:31-39; Hebrews 13:5,6.

The other day, an Above Rubies reader sent me a quote from the devotional book, “My Utmost for His Highest.” It contained the same sentiments as the title of my article, so I thought I would include it for you too. The emphasis is mine.

“The nature of spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty, consequently we do not make our nests anywhere…. Certainty is the mark of the common-sense life: gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, we do not know what a day may bring forth. This is generally said with a sigh of sadness, it should be rather an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. Immediately we abandon to God, and do the duty that lies nearest, He packs our life with surprises all the time. When we become advocates of a creed, something dies; we do not believe God, we only believe our belief about Him…Spiritual life is the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, but uncertain of what He is going to do next…”Believe also in Me,” said Jesus, not – “”Believe certain things about Me.” Leave the whole thing to Him, it is gloriously uncertain how He will come in, but He will come.”

Have you learned to trust God in the little things of life?

As you do, you will find Him to be totally faithful, and you will be able to trust Him fully when you face greater difficulties.

5.  DEPENDABLE STICKABILITY AND ENDURANCE UNTIL THE END.

Matthew 10:22, “He that endures to the end shall be saved.”

James 5:11, “Behold, we count them happy which endure.”

Matthew 24:13; Mark 13:13; Philippians 3:13,14; Hebrews 6:15; 11:27; 12:1-4; James 1:12; Rev 2:10.

Can you endure to the end?

We cannot do it on our own, but our moment-by-moment trust in God will be our anchor.

6.   DISCERNIBLE WISDOM TO WALK IN THE RIGHT WAY.

Isaiah 33:6, “Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times…”

Do you have wisdom for this hour?

It is the fear of the Lord that is the beginning of wisdom. The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. True wisdom is found in the Word of God and listening to God’s voice.

7.  KNOWLEDGABLE UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMES TO KNOW WHAT TO DO.

1 Chronicles 12:32 talks about  “the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do….”

I believe that we should be people who have “understanding of the times.” God’s prophets and secular prophets all warn us that there will be difficult financial times ahead.

1 Corinthians 14:20, “Brethren, be not children in understanding, but in understanding be men.”

Ephesians 5:17, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

Are you aware of the hour in which we live or do you have your head buried in the sand?

8. HOW CAN WE PREPARE?

1.  PRAY.

2 Chronicles 2:14. Pray for your nation. Pray for your family. Pray for wisdom. Ask God what wants He wants you to do personally. The first and foremost preparation is spiritual preparation. We must cultivate an intimate fellowship with our God. We must learn to trust Him in the little things, now, if we are going to be able to trust Him in bigger things. We must learn to know Him now, if we are going to stand fast and immovable in shaky times.

The greatest thing that we can do in life is to KNOW God intimately. Jeremiah 9:23,24 says, “Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” The word “knoweth” is the word ‘yada’ in the Hebrew. It means ‘to know intimately’. It is the same word that is used for marital relations, e.g. “And Adam knew Eve his wife: and she conceived.”

It is one thing to acknowledge who God is, but it is another thing to know Him intimately as a friend. When we know Him intimately, we will know that we can trust Him fully.

2.  PURIFY OUR SOULS.

Amos 4:12, “Prepare to meet thy God.”

Titus 2:11-14. “For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great god and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

James 4:8. “Purify your hearts ye double-minded.”

Ephesians 5:27. “That he might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Song of Solomon 4:7. “Thou art fair, my love, there is no spot in Thee.”

I don’t believe that judgment is God’s first choice, but it is His back up plan. If the church is not purified in good times, God often allows hard times to come in order for us to be purified. We are so distracted by the entertainments and frivolities of this world that God may have to take away many of these things, so that we will love Him without distraction. He is coming for a bride – a bride who is not consumed and distracted by other loves, but who is totally focused on her Bridegroom. 

3.   PONDER GOD’S ORIGINAL METHOD.

Our most important preparation is spiritual preparation – to purify our hearts and get to know God in an intimate and real way. However, I believe it is also important to prepare mentally. Before we can do anything physically, we have to readjust our minds mentally. We have to shift them into another gear. We may have to change from the way we are currently doing things. We may have to change from relying on the supermarket down the road. We may have to start thinking about God’s original way of provision.

9. SHOULD WE STORE FOOD?

Let’s go to the Word of God again, shall we? The Bible shows us clearly that God’s way of provision is “seedtime and harvest.” He expects us to work hard, sow our seed, cultivate our plants and trees, and then harvest the food and crops – to last us until the next harvest season! This is not radical. This is normal living. This is a God-given principle. This has been God’s way since the beginning of the world. This has been the way of mankind for generations and generations, until our modern computerized high tech society.

In this generation, we don’t have to rely on “seedtime and harvest”, because we rely on the supermarket that has everything available every day and all year around. However, if that crutch were taken away from us for a season, what would we rely on then? We would have to get back to God’s original plan.

Genesis 8:22, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

Jeremiah 5:24, “He reserves unto us the appointed weeks of harvest.”

Deuteronomy 11:13-15, “And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine and thy oil.”

Leviticus 26:10, MLB, “You shall eat what had long been stored, then clear it out for the new.” The Good News Bible explains it well, “Your harvests will be so plentiful that they will last for a year, and even then you will have to throw away what is left of the old harvest to make room for the new.”

This Scripture, which speaks of God’s blessing, shows us that the children of Israel stored their harvest to last for a year until the next year’s harvest. When God blessed them, they had more than enough to last for the year. The word ‘store’ in the Hebrew here is ‘yashen’ which means ‘old or that which has remained long’.

10. OUR DAILY BREAD

“Just a minute,” you say. “You are talking about storing your harvest to last through the winter. What about praying for your daily bread?” Yes, that is true; we are exhorted in Matthew 6:11 to pray daily for our bread. The reason for this is that the wheat had to be ground daily to make the bread. Because it was not refined and had the germ of the wheat still in it, it would quickly go rancid if left. But even the wheat and barley they ground daily was taken from the storehouse.

11. ADVANTAGES OF STORING FOOD

We see from the Word of God and from history that this is a normal way of living. Although we don’t need to rely on it in our computerized age, it still has advantages.

When we have food stored. . .

1. We always have something on hand to share with guests who arrive unexpectedly.

2. We have something on hand to give to a family who urgently needs provision of food.

3. We have food available in times of emergency, e.g. earthquakes, snowstorms, hurricanes, tornados etc.

.4. We don’t have to get into a state of worry because even if lean times or traumas arise, we are prepared to feed our family. This actually relieves stress.

12. CAN WE SURVIVE ON STORED FOOD?

If we did face a situation where we couldn’t race to the supermarket and get whatever we needed, how would we survive? What if we couldn’t get fresh fruit and vegetables daily? We see a very interesting Scripture in Leviticus 25 where God proclaims the principle of the Sabbath rest for the land every seven years. Every seventh year the land was to have complete rest. They were not allowed to plant any seeds. They were not allowed to harvest grain that grew by itself. They were not allowed to gather the grapes from their un-pruned vines. The food that grew of itself was to be available to all – servants, strangers and wild animals.

So how were they to survive without planting and harvest? God knew that they would ask this question. Let’s read in Leviticus 25:20-22, “And if ye shall say, “What shall we eat the seventh year? Behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase: Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years. And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store.”

The children of Israel ate stored food for nearly three years. Obviously God knew that they could survive and keep healthy even on stored food. He promised them that if they would obey His laws, that there would not be “one feeble person among all their tribes.” Eating stored and sun-dried food was part of their lives.

Can you imagine how hard they would have to work? It is a tiring job to harvest and store enough for one year, let alone for three years! But I am sure that it would have been a wonderful time of shouting and rejoicing. They would also need to have lots of extra room to store all this food. We read in the Scriptures how the prosperous kings of Israel built storehouses for all their excess grain and wine and oil. Let’s look at scriptural examples:

► Obed-Edom’s sons looked after the “storehouse” of the tabernacle. 1 Chronicles 26:15-17.

► David’s overseer, Azmaveth was in charge of “the royal storehouses.” 1 Chronicles 27:25.

► David’s overseer, Jonathan was in charge of “the storehouses in the country, in the cities, in the villages and in the towers.” 1 Chronicles 27:25

► David’s administrator, Zabdi had charge of “the produce of the vineyards stored in the wine cellars.” 1 Chronicles 27:27

► David’s overseer, Joash, was in charge of “the stores of oil.” 1 Chronicles 27:28

► David gave his son Solomon plans for “the storehouses” of the house of God and for the “storehouses” of the dedicated things. 1 Chronicles 28:11-12.

► Solomon built many “store cities.” 1 Kings 9:19; 2 Chronicles 8:4,6,15

► Rehoboam “fortified the stronghold, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.” 2 Chronicles 11:11.

► Jehoshaphat “waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store.”

2 Chronicles 17:12.

► Hezekiah gave orders for the people to bring in food for the priests and the Levites. As soon as the order went out, the Israelites gave generously of grain, new wine, oil, honey, and from the crops of their fields. They brought so much that “Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in the temple of the Lord, and this was done… Conaniah, A Levite, was in charge of these things…” 2 Chronicles 31:11-12 NIV.

► Hezekiah “had exceeding much riches and honor: and he made…. storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil….” 2 Chronicles 32:28.

► Because the store cities and storehouses were so important for the survival of the people, when Benhadad came against the cities of Israel, he captured all the store cities of Naphtali. This strategy would cause the people to starve. 2 Chronicles 16:4.

► Ten men saved their lives by exposing food they had stored in the fields, “Do not kill us, for we have stores of wheat, barley, oil, and honey hidden in the fields. So he refrained and did not kill them.” Jeremiah 41:8 RSV.

Of course, we are all familiar with the story of how God told Joseph through a dream to store up food for seven years!

► Genesis 41:36, “That food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine.”

► Genesis 41:56, “And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians.” The storehouses became the survival of nations.

The Hebrew word that is used for the ‘store’ cities is ‘micknah’ which means ‘treasure’. Wow, that’s exciting. Their store of food that they put away became their treasure. Without it they would starve.

13. WONDERFUL PROMISES

Psalm 144: 11-15 gives us a beautiful description of a people who are blessed of the Lord. One of the blessings is “that our garners may be full, affording all manner of store.” Or as the Living Bible translates it, “Barns full to the brim with crops of every kind.” The blessing of God is having enough from the harvest to store for the coming year, enough to last until next harvest. This kind of living enables us to be generous and bountiful with others as well.

Let’s turn now to the famous blessing chapter in the Word of God, Deuteronomy 281-8. God says that if we “hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to do all His commandments…” that He will “command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses.”

14. IT TAKES HARD WORK

Let’s see what God’s Word says about working hard to provide our food:

Proverbs 6:6-8, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.” Some translations say, “PONDER the ant…”

Proverbs 6:8 TLB says the ants “labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.”

Proverbs 10:4, “He becomes poor that deals with a slack hand.”

Proverbs 10:5, “He that gathers in summer is a wise son, but he that sleeps in harvest is a son that causes shame.” Repeated in Proverbs 20:4.

Proverbs 22:3 TLB, repeated in Proverbs 27:12 “A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them, the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”

Proverbs 28:19, “He that tills his land shall have plenty of bread.” Repeated in Proverbs 12:11.

Harvest time is such an important time in the year, that it is the time of greatest joy. Isaiah 16: 9,10 intimates that it is a time of SINGING, SHOUTING AND JOY.

15.   PLAN AND PREPARE.

MATTHEW 25:10. “The foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out…. And while they went to buy the Bridegroom came…and THEY THAT WERE READY went in with him to the marriage and the door was shut.”

16.   PLANT AND PRESERVE.

Where possible plant a garden and harvest it. Then preserve and dry your harvest.

17.   PITY UPON THE POOR.

Proverbs 19:17 says, “He that hath pity upon the poor lends unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”

Leviticus 19:9-10, “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.”

Leviticus 23:22,  "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make cleanriddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” Ruth 2:2-16.

Deuteronomy 24:19-21, “When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.

When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.”

Proverbs 22:9, “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed: for he gives of his bread to the poor.”

Proverbs 25:21, “If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink, For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.”

Proverbs 28:27. “He that gives unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hides his eyes shall have many a curse.”

Proverbs 29:7, “The righteous considers the cause of the poor.”

Psalm 37:21,26, “The righteous shows mercy, and gives…He is ever merciful and lends and his seed is blessed.”

STORING IS BIBLICAL, HOARDING IS UNBIBLICAL!

Note this: Storing food is biblical, but hoarding is evil! God’s Word shows us clearly that it is a normal way of living to store food with the motive of not only feeding our family, but feeding whoever else we can. However, if we store food with the motive of hoarding for ourselves only, we are out of God’s will.

18.  PERSEVERE.

Are you overwhelmed? Proverbs 30:25 says, “Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in summer.”

The ants don’t do this because they are big and strong, but because they are diligent and persistent! Don’t worry if the job seems bigger than you. God will be with you to help you. Just get a little at a time. Do a little at a time. Faithfulness in the little areas will bring its reward.

19.  ULTIMATE TRUST IN GOD’S PROVISION.

No matter what we do to prepare, we can never be sure of the future. All we can be sure of is that our God is faithful and that we can trust Him wholly. So do what you are able to do financially and physically in the way of preparing – but TRUST GOD. He is the God of the Total Provision. He is the God Who is Enough. He is the faithful God who will never desert you. One thing we know for sure – riches are “uncertain” (1 Timothy 6:15) but our God is unfailing!

Psalm 37:3-5, 17-19, 25, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed…. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring It to pass….The Lord upholds the righteous…They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied…. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”

Psalm 37:39,40, “The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them…because they trust in Him.”

Psalm 46:1-3, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea….” What a wonderful promise! God is our present help in trouble. He is available right at the moment we need him. He is not behind or ahead. He is present at the time we need him.

Psalm 104:27; 145:15. “The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.”

Isaiah 41:17, “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.”

Jeremiah 17:7,8, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”

Hebrews 13:5-6, “Be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Prepared by Nancy Campbell

Above Rubies, PO Box 681687, Franklin, TN 37068-1687

IS THERE A BETTER WORD THAN "KIDS"?

Part 2

We discussed in Part 1 the negatives of calling our children "kids." If "kids" is not the kingdom word for our children, what can we call them?

How about using the word, "children"? The most common word for children in the Bible is ben which literally means, "the builder of the family name." That is a name that is worth using, isn't it? However, apart from children, sons and daughters, offspring, lads and lasses, which are all Biblical names, we find many expressions of God's heart for children. These are wonderful expressions you can use when speaking about your children. Let us discover them together, shall we?

1. GIFTS.

Read Genesis 33:5; 48:9; Joshua 24:3; Ruth 4:13b; 1 Chronicles 25:4-6 and Psalm 127:3-5

Our children are gifts from the hand of the Lord. God gives them to us. We can call them our "gifts." What we call our children has an amazing impact upon their attitude and their behavior.

I had a lovely revelation recently from Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed thee in the womb I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." As I checked the word "ordained" in my concordance I was amazed to notice that the Hebrew word, nathan is a primary root word meaning "to give." God planned Jeremiah's future before he was even conceived! God gave him as a "gift" to the nations.

Every child is a gift to the world! Isn't that exciting? Our children are not only a gift from God to us, but a gift to others. Each child God has given you is a gift from God to the world. Who knows which one will be another David, or Paul, or Einstein or Billy Graham! Or anointed and faithful builders, teachers, store managers, or whatever! And of course, godly mothers and fathers. The world will never be the same because of these "gifts" that you have brought into the world and will bring into the world.

The Message Bible translation of Psalm 127:3 says, “Do not you see that children are God’s BEST gift? the fruit of the womb His generous legacy?”

2. BLESSINGS. Deuteronomy 28:4; 33:24 and 1 Chronicles 26:4-5

I remember a friend of mine with three difficult little children. She often referred to them as her "brats." One day God convicted her that these children were blessings from God and that she should acknowledge them as such. Instead, she began to call them her "blessings." As she changed her vocabulary, her attitude to her children changed. As she changed, her children changed. Instead of being brats, they became the blessings she called them. These children are now fully grown today and are continuing to bring much blessing to their parents.

3. HERITAGE OF THE LORD. Psalm 127:3.

4. FRUIT OF THE WOMB. Psalm 127:3.

5. BELOVED FRUIT OF THE WOMB. Hosea 9:16.

I love the beautiful names God calls our children. Isn't this a lovely one? Not just the "fruit of the womb," but the "BELOVED FRUIT OF THE WOMB"! The context of this passage is that God was going to destroy the beloved fruit of their womb, because of their continual disobedience. However, it shows how God views children and also how the early Hebrews felt about their children.

We feel more of the heart for children when we read from other translations...

NIV     CHERISHED OFFSPRING
RV      BELOVED CHILDREN
NAS    PRECIOUS ONES
NEB    DEAREST OFFSPRING
TJB     DARLINGS
NAS    TREASURES OF THE WOMB
CEB    MUCH-LOVED LITTLE ONES
HCSB  PRECIOUS OFFSPRING OF THEIR WOMBS

6. REWARDS. Psalm 127:3.

We feel really special when we have been rewarded, don't we? Imagine how special your children will feel when you call them your "rewards"?

7. ARROWS. Psalm 127:4.

Our task as parents is to polish, sharpen, and prepare arrows to be ready to be sent forth from the bow to the hit the mark God has planned for their lives. As parents, we are "arrow polishers." It gives our children a sense of destiny to know they are arrows, being sharpened and prepared for God's army. This is a great name to call your children. Here are some of the kind of arrows God wants you to prepare for His purposes:

8. OLIVE PLANTS. Psalm 128:3.

I wonder why God calls our children "olive plants." I have a few ideas:

1. Olive trees were a symbol of blessing to the Israelites. When they saw the new olive shoots growing up around their olive trees, they knew they were blessed. (Deut 6:11; 8:8).

2. Olive plants have to be cultivated or they will deteriorate and grow wild. So our children have to be cultivated and trained if they are going to grow up in wisdom and stature.

3. Olive trees are a symbol of beauty. Hosea 14:6. The Hebrew word hood used for beauty, although sometimes used for men, is mainly associated with God. It means "splendor, majesty glory and honor." This time it is used of the olive tree. God wants our children to grow up beautiful like the olive tree, revealing to the world the glory and splendor of God.

4. Olive trees have a purpose. They are not just ornaments. The olive was indispensible to the families of Israel. Our children also have a purpose. Before the foundation of the world God chose them and prepared their destiny. It is our role as parents to help them find that destiny and prepare them to walk in it. In Bible days the olive tree was used for:

a) Building. The two cherubims within the oracle and the doors into the oracle were made of olive wood (1 Kings 6:32-33). The purpose of our "olive plants" is to help build the kingdom of God.

b) Light. The oil from the olive tree was used for lighting the lamps in the tabernacle (Exodus 27:20-21 and Leviticus 24:1-4). Let us pray that our "olive shoots" will grow up to be lights in the midst of the darkness of this world. There are many who are afraid to have children because they fear to bring them into this evil world. But this is the very purpose God wants us to bring forth the godly seed --to be lights in the midst of the darkness! When we hold back the godly seed, evil increases.

c) Holy Anointing Oil. Exodus 30:22-33. Let us pray that our "olive plants" will grow up to be anointed of God to "preach good tidings unto the meek; to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound..." (Isaiah 61:1).

d) Food. The Israelites could not survive without the olives. Even in our countries, what would we do without olives, olive oil, and all the foods that contain this commodity? May our children "feed many" who are broken, starving, and needing God (Proverbs 10:21).

5. Olive trees live forever. Well, just about. There is a saying in Israel that the "olive tree never dies." On a number of occasions we have visited the site of the Garden of Gethsemane, which is at the base of the Mount of Olives and looks up to the Golden Gate of the city of Jerusalem. This is the gate that the Bible says Jesus is going to walk through one day. In this garden, there are a number of very old, gnarled olive trees. The guides tells us that they are two to three thousand years old and they are still alive and growing. Our children are also eternal souls who will live forever. Mothering is an eternal career. It is not a waste of time. It lasts into the eons of eternity.

9.  SONS WHO ARE MATURE PLANTS. Psalm 144:12.

10. DAUGHTERS WHO ARE POLISHED CORNER STONES. Psalm 144:12.

What a powerful description for our daughters. The corner stone is the most important stone in the building. It is the pivot, foundation, and plumb line from which everything is measured. We must raise up our daughters to be mothers and homemaker for motherhood is the foundation of society. It is the greatest career they will ever embark upon.

Many daughters today are prepared for other careers instead of motherhood. This brings confusion. When they get married, they face a dilemma. "What do I do with this career for which I have been trained?" They think it is more important than motherhood, and therefore do not fully embrace their mothering role. Because of this, they never really enjoy it. They have no understanding of their highest calling.

Motherhood is a dignified role. It is not to be degraded. We should raise our daughters to be who they are, daughters of the king of kings, with beauty, regality, and splendor. Other translations of this Scripture say:

NAS"fashioned as for a palace."

TLB "Daughters of graceful beauty like the pillars of a palace wall."

NIV "carved to adorn a palace."

11. SIGNS AND WONDERS. Isaiah 8:18.

How exciting that our children are "signs and wonders" in this world for God!

12. LAMBS. Isaiah 40:11.

As many mothers change their vocabulary and call their little ones their "lambs" or their "little lamby" instead of "kids," they notice a new attitude toward their children. They experience a fresh tenderness in caring for their offspring. They become more like the Good Shepherd, who does not leave His young, but carries them in His bosom.

13. WORK OF GOD'S HANDS. Isaiah 29:23-24.

How important it is for our children to realize they are not a nuisance to our pursuits in life. They should be reminded they are the "work of God's hands" and it is our highest privilege in life to teach and train them on God's behalf.

14. GODLY SEED. Malachi 2:15.

The greatest way we can please our Father God is to bring forth and nurture a godly seed. This is what God looks for. And he looks for godly parents to produce this godly seed. The Hebrew word that is used for the “godly” seed is elohim which is one of the names of God. Isn’t that amazing? God wants children to come forth who are like Him. God wants children who will show who He is to the world. God wants children who are pure and righteous. God wants children who will allow Him to transform them into His image.

15. GLORY. Hosea 9:11. Children are the “glory” of a nation.

16. CROWNS. Proverbs 17:6. This is a special name for grandchildren.

Also RESTORER OF LIFE and
NOURISHER OF OLD AGE. Ruth 4:15.

There are many other special names you can call your children apart from these biblical ones. Each family will have their own pet names, but let us keep to positive ones. Will you take up this challenge with me?

Let's start a revolution and eliminate the word "kids" from our society!

Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

 

 

Biblical Principles of  "Work"

God instituted 'work' in the second chapter of Genesis, the Book of Beginnings. God gave the principle of work to man for his blessing. God gave the work ethic before the fall of man. After the fall, fatigue and pain were associated with work, but it was established before the fall as a blessing.

Work is the law of man's being. Work is divinely inspired. If we don't work, we will suffer atrophy in body, mind and spirit. Work is therapeutic - physically, emotionally and mentally. In fact, God was the very first employer.

Genesis 2:5-15, "And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden.and the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it."

'Keep' (shamar) means to 'to hedge about, i.e., to guard, to protect, and to watch.'

'Dress' (avad) in Hebrew means 'to work, serve, labour, toil, till.'

This same Hebrew word 'avad' is translated by a number of different words:

Genesis 5:5, "there was not a man to till the ground."

Isaiah 19:9, "they that work in fine flax."

Ezekiel 48:18, "them that serve the city." (Genesis 29:15; 30:26,29; Exodus

1:13,14; 3:12; 7:16; Jeremiah 22:13)

HOW SHOULD WE WORK?

How does God want us to work? What attitude should we have? The Bible is not silent about this subject but gives us a full understanding of the attitude we should have to the work ethic. Let's look at them together.

1. WILLINGLY.

Judges 5:2, "The people willingly offered themselves."

1 Chronicles 28:9, "Know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a
perfect heart and with a willing mind."

1 Chronicles 28:21, "Every willing skillful man."

Psalm 110: "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power."

Proverbs 31:13, "She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her
hands."

Isaiah 1:19, "If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the
land."

Read 1 Thessalonians 2:7-9.

The word 'work' in Proverbs 31:13 is 'asah'. It means 'to make, do, create, construct, accomplish, work, labor.' It is the same word that is used of God's creative activity - Genesis 1:26; 31; Psalm 86:9; 95:5; 96:5. Work is creative and therefore enjoyable. Work is constructive and therefore fulfilling. Work is productive and therefore satisfying. The more we work with joy and a willing heart, the more we will be filled with creative ideas.

2.  DILIGENTLY.

Jeremiah 48:10 RSV, "Cursed is he who does the work of God with slackness."

Proverbs 12:27 TJB, "Diligence is a man's most precious possession."

Romans 12:11 J.B. Phillips, "Let us not allow slackness to spoil our work."

Romans 12:11 GNB, "Work hard and do not be lazy."

3.  MIGHTILY.

Ecclesiastes 9:10, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might."

4.  HEARTILY.

2 Chronicles 31:21, "Hezekiah.In every work that he began.. He did it with all his heart, and prospered."

Nehemiah 4:6, "The people had a mind ('lev' - heart and soul) to work."

Ephesians 6:6, "Doing the will of God from the heart."

Colossians 3:23. "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily."

5.  FERVENTLY.

Romans 12:11. "Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord."

TLB, "Never be lazy in your work but serve the Lord enthusiastically."

6.  JOYFULLY.

Deuteronomy 28:47, "All these curses shall come upon thee.... because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and gladness of heart."

7.  THANKFULLY.

Colossians 3:17, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

8.  LOVINGLY.

Hebrews 6:10, "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister."

1 Thessalonians 1:3, "your.labor of love.in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father." J.B. Phillips' translates it, "Your love has meant hard work."

Galatians 5:13, "By love serve one another."

1 John 3:16-18, "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in
tongue, but in deed and in truth." The Greek word for 'deed' is 'ergon'
which means 'to make, to work, to do.'

Love is not an airy-fairy feeling. Love is an action verb that takes work! We prove our love by hard work. But it works both ways. When we work with a
heart full of love for God and for people, it takes the drudgery out of the work. Work is love in reality!

9. FAITHFULLY.

2 Chronicles 34:12, "The men did the work faithfully."

Matthew 25:21,23; Luke 16.10; "He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much."

Hebrews 3:5. "Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant."

10.  BENEVOLENTLY.

Ephesians 6:7 AMP, "Rendering service readily with goodwill."

{mospagebreak}

11.  HUMBLY.

Let's look at some examples:

JESUS

Matthew 20:26-28 "The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and
to give His life.."

Luke 22:27, "I am among you as He that serveth."

John 13:1-17, "Jesus riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel.So after he had washed their feet, he said unto them.. The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

PAUL

1 Corinthians 9:19, "I made myself servant unto all."

1 Peter 5:5 Williams, "You must all put on the servant's apron of humility
to one another."

1 Timothy 5:10 GNB "She must have a reputation for good deeds: a woman who
brought up her children well, received strangers in her home, performed
humble duties for fellow Christians, helped people in trouble, and devoted
herself to doing good."

12.  ABOUNDINGLY.

1 Corinthians 15:58. "Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

What does it mean to abound? Greek word is 'perisseuo' which means 'to superabound, excel, more abundant, enough and to spare, over and above, sense of beyond, beyond what is necessary.' This is the kind of attitude we should have toward work. We should not do just the bare necessity, but more than is necessary - over and above! We are to have an abounding attitude.

13.  AS UNTO THE LORD.

Colossians 3:23, "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ."

Colossians 3:23 J.B. Phillips, "You are actually employed by Christ."

Ephesians 6:5-7 "As unto the Lord, and not to men."

What a liberating attitude this is. We don't have to get despondent when we are not appreciated. We are not working for man. We are working for God. He is our Employer.

14.  IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS.

Colossians 3:17, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus."

Whatever you are doing, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. Sing praises to His name. Honor His name. Give glory to His name. When you do a good deed for someone, tell him or her you are doing it "in the name of the Lord Jesus."

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15.  WITHOUT GRUMBLING AND COMPLAINING.

Philippians 2:14,15. "Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the
world."

16.  WITHOUT BEING SIDETRACKED.

Nehemiah 6:3. Nehemiah had purpose and vision. Nehemiah had a great work to do. However, he had many enemies who tried to stop him in his work, but Nehemiah would not be stopped! On one occasion when they tried to stop him in his work, he replied, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it and come down to you?"

17.  WITHOUT WEARYING.

Galatians 6:9,10. "And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season, we shall reap if we faint not."

2 Thessalonians 3:13, "Be not weary in well doing."

18.  WITHOUT EXPECTING ANYTHING IN RETURN.

Luke 7:7-10 RSV. "When you have done all that is commanded you say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty."

19. WITHOUT SEEKING RECOGNITION.

Ephesians 6:6. "Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but as the servants of Christ."

We do our work, not looking to the eyes of man, but the eyes of the Lord.

20. UNTIL THE JOB IS FINISHED.

Let's look at some examples:

ZERUBBABEL

Zechariah 4:9. "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it."

JESUS

John 4:34, "Jesus saith unto them, my meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work."

John 17:4, "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do."

PAUL

Acts 20:28, "None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy."

2 Timothy 4:7. "I have finished my course."

{mospagebreak}

21.  WITH REVERENCE.

Hebrews 12:28b "Serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear".

Psalm 2:11, "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling."

22. FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.

1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

I believe this is the greatest reason of all. The reason we do everything in life is for the glory of God. The reason we work is for the glory of God.
When this motive not only becomes part of our brain, but part of our physical lives, our lives will be transformed. No matter how menial or how boring the work, it will become a joy and a delight when we do it for the GLORY OF GOD.

23.  RELYING ON GOD.

John 15:4,5. Jesus said, "Without me ye can do nothing."

Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

24. ABLE TO WORK WITH OTHERS.

It is most important to learn to work with others. Many people have missed out on many blessings because they have not learned how to work with others.

1 Corinthians 3:9, "we are laborers together with God."

2 Corinthians 6:1, "workers together with Him."

Let's look at some folks who knew how to work alongside others. These were some of Paul's co-workers.

TIMOTHY - "our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ" 1 Thessalonians 3:2; "my work fellow" Romans 16:21.

EPAPHRODITUS - "companion in labor and fellow soldier." Philippians 2:25

TYCHICUS - "a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord." Colossians 4:7

PHILEMON - "dearly beloved and fellow laborer." Philemon v.1.

ARCHIPPUS - "our fellow soldier." Philemon v.2.

EPAPHRAS - "my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus." Philemon v. 23 "our dear fellow servant." Colossians 1:17.

MARCUS, ARISTARCHUS, DEMAS, LUCAS - "my fellow laborers." Philemon v.24

ARISTARCHUS, MARCUS and JUSTUS - "These only are my fellow workers for the extension of God's kingdom." Colossians 4:11 AMP

TITUS - "my partner and fellow helper."  2 Corinthians 8:22. "True yoke fellow." - Philippians 4:3

CLEMENT "and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the Book of Life." Philippians 4:3 AMP

PRISCILLA AND AQUILA - "my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks to save my life." Romans 16:3-5

ANDRONICUS AND JUNIA - "my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners." Romans 16:7

Read the example in 2 Chronicles 2:14.
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IN WHAT AREAS DOES GOD WANT US TO WORK?

The Word of God tells us that we are to work hard and put our whole heart and soul into everything we do - "whatsoever thy hand finds to do." However, there are some specific areas that are mentioned in the Bible so we will look at each one.

1. OUR CHRISTIAN  WALK.

Philippians 2:12, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

Through the atoning death of Jesus on the cross and His shed blood, He has wrought salvation for us, but we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit for
this salvation to be worked out from within us to our very extremities and into our daily life. Colossians 1:29; 2 Peter 1:5-12; 3:14.

2. IN THE HOME AS MOTHERS.

When we look at the picture of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31, we see that much of her virtue is working hard and being physically strong. I think
you will be amazed to notice that nearly every Scripture is related to hard work! Let's have a look:

v. 13 "She seeks wool and flax, and works willingly with her hands." Hard work!

v.14 "She is like the merchants' ships; she brings her food from afar." And she didn't have a car. She most probably had to walk, and in the burning hot sun too.

v.15 "She rises also while it is yet night, and gives food to her household, and a portion to her maidens." Her household would have been filled with many people - a large family, servants and extended family. Managing meals was a big task.

v.16 "She considers a field and buys it." She most probably had to do a lot of walking to check out fields before she purchased too.

v.16 "With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard." More hard work!

v.17 "She girds her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms." It doesn't sound as though there is a lazy bone in her body!

v.18 "Her candle goes not out by night." Help! When does she sleep?

v.19 "She lays her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff." Busy fingers!

v.20 "She stretches out her hand to the poor; yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy." She is not only busy in her own home, making sure that there is enough food planted, harvested and stored for her whole family, but she also takes time to minister to others outside her home too.

v.21 "She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She makes herself coverings of tapestry." Did she have an electric sewing machine? No, even her fingers worked hard sewing.

v.22 "She makes fine linen, and sells it; and delivers girdles unto the merchant." Besides clothing her own family, she also sews extra garments to sell to bring in finance for her family.

v.27 "She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness."  Hard work is her lifestyle.

We see another picture of a hard-working woman in 1 Timothy 5:10. She not only cared for her own children but continually ministered to the needs of
others. "One who has a reputation for good works and has reared children, has practiced hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has relieved the afflicted, and has been devoted to all kinds of good works."

A third well-known passage to women is Titus 2:3-5 where the older women are exhorted to teach the young women. One of the things they are to teach the young women is to be "workers at home." The word in the Greek is 'oikourogo'which comes from two words:

'oikos' - home
'ergon' - to work

Therefore it means to 'work at home'. We are not to be idle, but to work in our homes.

3. IN THE HOME AS FATHERS.

1 Timothy 5:8, "If any provide not for his own and especially for those ofhis own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."

Ecclesiastes 10:18 MLB, "Through continual neglect the ceiling sinks, and because of slack hands the house leaks."

4. EMPLOYMENT.

(a) THE PROVIDER OF THE HOME SHOULD WORK HARD TO PROVIDE ADEQUATELY FOR HIS FAMILY.

Romans 12:11, "Not slothful in business."

1 Thessalonians 4:11 GNB, "Make it your aim to live a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to earn your own living. In this way you will win the respect of those who are not believers, and you will not have to depend on anyone for what you need."

2 Thessalonians 3:10-12, "While we were with you, we used to tell you, "Whoever refuses to work is not allowed to eat. We say this because we hear that there are some people among you who live lazy lives and who do nothing except meddle in other people's business. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we command these people and warn them to lead orderly lives and to work to earn their own living."

(b) EMPLOYMENT IS NOT ONLY FOR OUR OWN PROVISION BUT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE TO OTHERS.

Ephesians 4:28, "Let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."

(c) EMPLOYEES SHOULD WORK SO DILIGENTLY THAT THEIR EMPLOYER PROSPERS BECAUSE OF THEM. Here are two examples:

JACOB. Genesis 30:27-30, "And Laban said unto him.. I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake."

JOSEPH. Genesis 39:1-6, "From the time he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake."

Titus 2:9 Beck, "Obey your masters in everything, please them, and don't talk back. Don't steal but show you can be trusted in every way so that in everything you show the beauty of the teaching of God, who saves us."

5. STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD.

2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman thatneedeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

1 Timothy 5:17, "Especially those who labor in the word and doctrine."

6. PRAYER.

Colossians 4:12, "Always laboring fervently for you in prayers."

7. THE WORK OF THE LORD.

To be involved in God's work actually means 'work'.

Matthew 9:37, 38, "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest."

Acts 13:2, "the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." Acts 14:26

Ephesians 4:12, "the work of the ministry."

1 Timothy 3:1, "If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work."

2 Timothy 4:5, "do the work of an evangelist." 1 Thessalonians 5:12,13.

Let's look at Paul's example in working for the Lord.

1 Corinthians 4:11-13 TMB "We toil to exhaustion with our own hands."

1 Corinthians 15:10, "I labored more abundantly." TMB says, "I worked harder than any of them."

2 Corinthians 6:3-10, "As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way.in hard work."

2 Corinthians 11:23-30, "in labors more abundant."

1 Thessalonians 2:7-9, "For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail; for laboring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you." (2 Corinthians 5:9; Galatians 4:11; 1 Thessalonians 3:5)

Here's a few others too, who I haven't previously mentioned.

PHOEBE - "she has been a helper of many including myself." Romans 16:1,2

MARY - "who bestowed much labor on us." Romans 16:6

URBANE - "our helper in Christ." Romans 16:9

TRYPHENA AND TRYPHOSA - "who labor in the lord." Romans 16:12

PERSIS - "Who labored much in the Lord." Romans 16:12

TIMOTHY - "He is devotedly doing the Lord's work, just as I am." 1 Cor 16:10 AMP

EPAPHRAS - "He has labored hard on your behalf." Colossians 4:12

STEPHANAS FAMILY - "they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.that ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboreth."

DORCAS - "this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did." Acts 9:36-43.

8. GOOD WORKS.

Look up the following scriptures that tell us that God wants us to be doing good works.

Matthew 5:16; 26:10 (Mark 14:6); Matthew 25:14-46; Mark 13:34-37; John
10:32; Romans 2:6; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15; 1 Timothy 2:10; 2 Timothy 3:17;
Titus 2:12-14; 3:1; Titus 3:8; 3:14; Hebrews 10:24; 13:21; 1 Peter 2:12.

THE REWARDS OF DILIGENCE
Look up these scriptures:

2 Chronicles 15:7; Jeremiah 31:16; Psalm 126:5,6; Proverbs 6:6; 10:5a;
10:4b; 12:11a (28:19a; 20:13); 12:24a; 13:4b; 13:11b; 22:29; Ecclesiastes
5:12; 1 Corinthians 3:8; 15:58; 1 Thessalonians 5:12,13 (1 Corinthians
16:15,16; 1 Timothy 5:17)

THE CONSEQUENCES OF LAZINESS

Proverbs 10:4a (24:30-34); 10:5b; 10:26; 12:24b; 13:4a; 15:19; 18:9; 19:15;
21:25; 22:3; 23:21b; Ecclesiastes 10:18.

Prepared by Nancy Campbell, Above Rubies, PO Box 681687, Franklin, TN 37068
Phone: (931) 729 9861


This information can also be found in the manual, THE POWER OF MOTHERHOOD.
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THE POWER OF MOTHERHOOD
What God says about Motherhood in the Word of God

By Nancy Campbell

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