Dont just sit there, dont just roll over, dont be a couch potato. What an incredibly powerful quality long term diligence can be in our lives, because obviously: Samuel Johnson was spot on when he observed, Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance. Paul challenges Timothy to focus like a soldier, train like an athlete, and work like a farmer. Pilot this strait by avoiding both extremes. 'Diligence' makes faith fruitful. D, Scripture: It seems to me very like Peter that there should be so much in this letter about the very commonplace and familiar excellence of diligence. It is good to move with speed, but diligence is something more than mere movement or even quick movement. The condition is nothing recondite, nothing hard either to understand or to practise, but it is simply that commonplace, humdrum virtue of diligence. Noah may have worked up to 120 years constructing the ark! When you are asked to serve in some way, dont attempt to take the path of least resistance (because of laziness). God gave you two feet. read more, Scripture: I. The true difficulties of this life are more often rooted in our desire to overcome, or lack thereof. . Dont work so much, however, that you need to re-introduce yourself to your family. Doing so, and diligently doing it, 'he shall be found in peace.'. If youre lazily collecting a paycheck, thats stealing. The Pattern for Life and Love -- Diligence That is to say, unless you work with haste, with earnestness, and therefore with much putting forth of strength, your faith will not evolve the graces of character which is in it to bring forth. Powered by Congregate, Fifth Street church of Christ Prudent direction and management of these resources increases our likelihood for success. You may have heard the term, a match made in heaven. It is just a game to him. Certain tasks must be accomplished first. You can be sure that the lawyers on both sides vigorously What a beautiful ideal of Christian life results from putting together all these items. 4/25/2010 Diligence is the virtue of hard work, and is indicative of a belief that work in itself is good. [Proverbs 21:2], 17. You may bear different fruit than you thought you would or even hoped for. If obedience to parents or an employer, or a government, is contradictory to obedience to God, we have to make a choice. Ruth 2:1-7. Remember, servants and slaves had little to no hope of promotion, and they always performed the jobs that nobody wanted to do, yet they were expected to work diligently and, Remember Joseph: He was unfairly sent to jail, but because of his integrity, honesty, dependability, work ethic - and because the Lord blessed him, he was remarkably promoted to chief of the prison. Other times, people feel they are working boring jobs that anybody can do. Why do I fail to overcome destructive habits? Samuel Johnson was spot on when he observed. Theme: Character development is not an important part of life?it IS life! Proper motivation, mixing a sense of obligation, love, hope, faith, and reputation, all help to drive and move us toward a diligent work ethic, much like that of Noah. Discuss with your family how you can hold one another accountable to be diligent workers for God and men. In all of life, every day you face a choice of going one of two ways. II. Michael K. Farrar, O.D. Day 5 of 40 days of fasting! Romans 12:11 Now it strikes me that we may gain some instruction if we throw together the various objects to which in Scripture, and especially in this letter, we are exhorted to direct this virtue of diligence, and mark how comprehensive its range, and how, for all beauty of character and progress in the Divine life, it is regarded as an indispensable condition. We can be complacent or strive toward quality work, for excellence. Nehemiah 4:16-23, when we serve God with all our heart through serving the Man of God we selflessly help to push the Kingdom Agenda, May the peace of the Lord be with you. What does the Bible say? "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to 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 3:23-24). Therefore, we must be careful in choosing where and how to spend our precious time and energies. Seest thou a man diligent in his business? Ministry and spiritual discipline is often hard work. Proverbs 6:6-8, Proverbs 6:9-11. Maintain an indomitable spirit, a can-do, will-do attitude. How many days and weekends off? 1. Furthermore, since we are serving God, our passion for work should flow from our heart and passion for God. In this case, laziness detaches us from the world and the consequences of our unmet obligations. Of one fellow-worker, Paul said, And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found, The more I study various virtues I am impressed that they are all interrelated. Notice the use of soul to describe the diligent man. Still further, one of the other writers of the New Testament gives us another field in which this virtue may expatiate, when the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews exhorts to diligence, in order to attain 'the full assurance of hope.' Do you want to know the ironic thing between the easy road and the hard road? 2 Timothy 2:1-10 It will take you less than three seconds to answer that question. Please respond to confirm your registration. But, only the diligent will succeed. No man becomes a vigorous Christian by any other course than 'giving all diligence.' Compare your life to those who live in the bad part of town, and compare that life to that lived by those on the other side of the world. Diligence makes God's gifts ours. Gal.1: 4Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of So the word is frequently translated. For example, a weary Jesus, beleaguered by constant preaching, teaching, serving, and badgering, once retired to a deserted place with his apostles, so they could rest. C. Lodge in Jerusalem unity (22) Now that you know what it is, name it. You will rise until you serve before kings. It is the dedicated fervency God calls us to invest in each task that we perform. If, on the other hand, we set ourselves to our tasks, then out of faith will come, as the blossoms mysteriously and miraculously do out of an apparently dead stump, virtue, manliness, and knowledge, and temperance, and patience, and godliness, and brotherly mindedness, and charity. Acts 9:1-22. If he has not proven himself by working hard for his parents in the past, his training at present, or his preparations for the future, then he will not work hard for you or your children! If you travel too much (according to your wifes/familys honest, loving assessment), seek to curb your travel, if possible. Industry, thoroughness, attentiveness. If you want to be a strong Christian -- that is to say, a happy man -- you must bend your back to the work and 'give all diligence.' Use them. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled (Hebrews 12:15). In fact, it acts as a shield or defense in this life, averting, or at least easing, many of the trials and difficulties that this life brings. Look for them. The Season of Easter Series: When Jesus Shows Up Want to make the congregation grow? 2 Timothy 2:14-21, Denomination: The ground was covered with weeds and the stone wall was in ruins. Notice how Chuck . Dawn, noon & moon For myself personally, I have found that the middle of any project can rather be the difficult part, especially if I look up and around with the dreaded realization, I am not even half done yet. Proverbs 4:20-27. But with this caution against spurious haste, we cannot too seriously lay to heart the solemn motives to wise and well-directed haste. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations are from the New King James Version, copyright 1994 SERMON OUTLINE: I knew a brother who thrived in the work place, because he happily accepted all the inglorious positions that everyone else disdained, but yet through his zeal, determination, and optimism, he reinvented and refashioned the positions into those that were the most cool and sought after by those that followed him. Pentecostal, We must be diligent in taking initiative in our service to God. He says in this same chapter that he himself will 'give diligence [endeavour, in Authorised Version] that they may be able after his decease to have these things always in remembrance.' Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and. . . Then, again, the Apostle gives an even more remarkable view of the possible field for this all-powerful diligence when he bids his readers exercise it in order to 'make their calling and election sure.' Thats a picture of the man who goes out hunting and he captures his prey, but because he is lazy, he doesnt even bother to roast it. Sermon illustrations on Diligence. God waited patiently, hoping for mankind to repent while Noah was building the ark (I Peter 3:20)God specifically worked with mankind for 120 years before sending the flood (Genesis 6:3)Question: What do we mean by the terms, "diligence", "work . INTRODUCTION: CHRISTIANS LIVING UNDER CORRUPT ROMAN RULE - Invest early and invest often. The New Testament assures us that the noblest form of that promise shall be fulfilled in the Christian man's communion with his Lord here, and perfected when the diligent disciple shall 'be found of Him in peace,' and stand before the King in that day, accepted and himself a king. Hard work yesterday has to be followed up with hard work today to guarantee tomorrows prosperity. It is difficult to prosper by the keeping of promises, the deliverance of value and goods and services and deeds and denouncing the so-called shrewdness with sound merit and good ethics. Do the right thing at the right time, avoid distraction. As you may be aware, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into full effect on 25th May 2018. The lambs will provide you will clothing and goats with the price of a field. Why not fifteen, thirty, forty-five, an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year, a lifetime? read more, Scripture: God's Breath Publications: http://www.godsbreathpublications.com/ Again we come to the more familiar translation of the word as in the text. He has just been saying that God has 'given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, and exceeding great and precious promises.' read more, Scripture: read more, Scripture: That is your moment of truth, when you cast off laziness and embrace diligence! However, those who learn to work their way through the thorns and briars of this life will be better trained and prepared by their heavenly Father to overcome the difficulties of developing a spiritual life and growing into a mature Christian (. Ecclesiastes 11:1-8, Denomination: All of us would rather be on the easy road. We must gather ourselves together under the impulse of an all-pervading and noble earnestness, too deep to be demonstrative, and which does not waste itself in noise, but settles down steadily to work. Work while watching (16-18a) Prayer- I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw. If I am going to be faithful to the Lord in my service, I must be adequately prepared and the preparation is my responsibility. CONSISTENCY IS HARD WORK The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway. Proverbs 15:19, The laborers appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on. Proverbs 16:26 There are two reasons: A. (Would you be fired?) 'Raw haste' is 'half sister to delay.' The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. Proverbs 13:4, All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23. gazed at Whistler's portrait of his mother. In 2 Peter chapter one, before Peter even mentions the first of the virtues to add to our lives, he mentions, One single year of faith has virtually no value: 2 Peter 1:5, One day of being morally courageous has no impact in the long run: 2 Peter 1:5, Being a good Bible study for a few weeks isnt going to give us much wisdom: 2 Peter 1:6. Arise early! I am preaching about the value of hard work. Allowed HTML tags: