Sermon Illustrations on Diligence — page 2

Quotes On Stewardship, Charity, Giving

Luke 12:42

“If you give what you do not need, it isn't giving.”

-- Mother Teresa

"One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving."

-- Amy Carmichael

"Giving is the secret of a healthy life. Not necessarily money, but whatever a person has of

encouragement, sympathy and understanding."

-- John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

"Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones tend to take care of themselves."

-- Dale Carnegie

"If you wish to have power and influence over the many, be faithful (disciplined) when there is just a few. If you have a few employees, a few distributors, a few people, that's the time to stay in touch and be totally absorbed - when there is just a few."

-- Jim Rohn

"Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best."

-- Henry Van Dyke

"Waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both. Without industry and frugality, nothing will do, and with them everything."

-- Benjamin Franklin

"If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself."

-- Mickey Mantle

"The word philanthropy has its roots in the Greek language meaning 'love for mankind.' It was never meant to apply only to donors of thousands or millions of dollars."

-- Arthur C. Frantzreb, philanthropy consultant

"Every charitable act is a stepping stone towards heaven."

-- Henry Ward Beecher

"As the purse is emptied, the heart is filled."

-- Victor Hugo

"If you give money, spend yourself with it."

-- Henry David Thoreau

"He who waits to do a great deal of good at once, will never do anything."

-- Samuel Johnson

"The truly generous is the truly wise, and he who loves not others, lives unblest."

-- Henry Home

"Charity sees the need, not the cause."

-- German Proverb

"Not he who has much is rich, but he who gives much."

-- Erich Fromm

"The highest exercise of charity is charity towards the uncharitable."

-- J. S. Buckminster

"What we frankly give, forever is our own."

-- George Granville

"It is more blessed to give than to receive."

-- Acts 20:35

"Prayer carries us half way to God, fasting brings us to the door of His palace, and alms-giving procures us admission."

-- The Koran

"If you haven't got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble."

-- Bob Hope

"Charity: a thing that begins at home, and usually stays there."

-- Elbert Hubbard

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."

-- 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

"They take the paper and they read the headlines,

So they've heard of unemployment and they've heard of breadlines,

And they philanthropically cure them all

By getting up a costume charity ball."

-- Ogden Nash

"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us finish the work we are in."

-- Abraham Lincoln

"One must be poor to know the luxury of giving."

-- George Eliot

"Give no bounties: make equal laws: secure life and prosperity and you need not give alms."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

-- Norman MacEwan

"If one first gives himself to the Lord, all other giving is easy."

-- Robert Harris; SermonCentral.com 2/4/04

“The world will not be won to Christ on what we can conveniently spare.”

-- Bernard Ettinger; SermonCentral.com 2/19/07

“The basic question is not how much of our money should we give to God, but how much of God’s money should we keep for ourselves.”

-- J. Oswald Sanders; SermonCentral.com 2/19/07

"Giving advice doesn't qualify as charity."

-- Unknown

"Real charity doesn't care if it's tax deductible or not."

-- Unknown

"A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog."

-- Jack London (Instant Quotation Dictionary), p. 55.

Diligence Or Marriage

A healthy, well-to-do man in his fifties was moving into a new condominium. He noticed an older lady who also lived there, watching him with unusual interest as he came in and out. After several hours of this, the man walked over to her and said, “I see you have been watching me all morning. Is there something wrong?”

Not at all, she explained, you just look very much like my fourth husband.

“Really," he said. "How many times have you been married?”

“Well," she replied coyly, “Only three.”

Willing To Pay the Price

When my wife Maryanne and I were building our Greenspoint Mall hair salon 13 years ago, a Vietnamese fellow would stop by each day to sell us doughnuts. He spoke hardly any English, but he was always friendly and through smiles and sign language we got to know each other. His name was Le Van Vu.

During the day Le worked in a bakery and at night he and his wife listened to audio tapes to learn English. I later learned that they slept on sacks full of sawdust on the floor of the back room of the bakery.

In Vietnam the Van Vu family was one of the wealthiest in Southeast Asia. They owned almost one-third of North Vietnam, including huge holdings in industry and real estate. However, after his father was brutally murdered, Le moved to South Vietnam with his mother, where he went to school and eventually became a lawyer.

Like his father before him, Le prospered. He saw an opportunity to construct buildings to accommodate the ever-expanding American presence in South Vietnam and soon became one of the most successful builders in the country.

On a trip to the North, however, Le was captured by the North Vietnamese and thrown into prison for three years. He escaped by killing five soldiers and made his way back to South Vietnam where he was arrested again. The South Vietnamese government had assumed he was a plant from the North.

After serving time in prison, Le got out and started a fishing company, eventually becoming the largest canner in South Vietnam.

When Le learned that the U.S. troops and embassy personnel were about to pull out of his country, he made a life-changing decision.

He took all of the gold he had hoarded, loaded it aboard one of his fishing vessels and sailed with his wife out to the American ships in the harbor. He then exchanged all his riches for safe passage out of Vietnam to the Philippines, where he and his wife were taken into a refugee camp.

After gaining access to the president of the Philippines, Le convinced him to make one of his boats available for fishing and Le was back in business again. Before he left the Philippines two years later en route for America (his ultimate dream), Le had successfully developed the entire fishing industry in the Philippines.[*]

But en route to America, Le became distraught and depressed about having to start over again with nothing. His wife tells of how she found him near the railing of the ship, about to jump overboard.

Le, she told him, If you do jump, whatever will become of me? We've been together for so long and through so much. We can do this together. It was all the encouragement that Le Van Vu needed.

When he and his wife arrived in Houston in 1972, they were flat broke and spoke no English. In Vietnam, family takes care of family, and Le and his wife found themselves ensconced in the back room of his cousin's bakery in the Greenspoint Mall. We were building our salon just a couple of hundred feet away.

Now, as they say, here comes the message part of this story:

Le s cousin offered both Le and his wife jobs in the bakery. After taxes, Le would take home $175 per week, his wife $125. Their total annual income, in other words, was $15,600. Further, his cousin offered to sell them the bakery whenever they could come up with a $30,000 down payment. The cousin would finance the remainder with a note for $90,000.

Here's what Le and his wife did:

Even with a weekly income of $300, they decided to continue to live in the back room. They kept clean by taking sponge baths for two years in the mall's restrooms. For two years their diet consisted almost entirely of bakery goods. Each year, for two years, they lived on a total, that's right, a total of $600, saving $30,000 for the down payment.

Le later explained his reasoning: If we got ourselves an apartment, which we could afford on $300 per week, we'd have to pay the rent. Then, of course, we'd have to buy furniture. Then we'd have to have transportation to and from work, so that meant we'd have to buy a car. Then we'd have to buy gasoline for the car as well as insurance. Then we'd probably want to go places in the car, so that meant we'd need to buy clothes and toiletries. So I knew that if we got that apartment, we'd never get our $30,000 together.

Now, if you think you've heard everything about Le, let me tell you, there's more: After he and his wife had saved the $30,000 and bought the bakery, Le once again sat down with his wife for a serious chat. They still owed $90,000 to his cousin, he said, and as difficult as the past two years had been, they had to remain living in that back room for one more year.

I'm proud to tell you that in one year, my friend and mentor Le Van Vu and his wife, saving virtually every nickel of profit from the business, paid off the $90,000 note, and in just three years, owned an extremely profitable business free and clear.

Then, and only then, the Van Vus went out and got their first apartment. To this day, they continue to save on a regular basis, live on an extremely small percentage of their income, and, of course, always pay cash for any of their purchases.

Do you think that Le Van Vu is a millionaire today? I am happy to tell you, many times over.

________

[*] Some of the details in the story seem exaggerated - Holwick.

All Nature Is Arrayed Against the Lazy

Matthew 7:8

Dr A. B. Simpson once said. "God has hidden every precious thing in such a way that it is a reward to the diligent, a prize to the earnest, a disappointment to the slothful soul. All nature is arrayed against the lounger and the idler."

"The nut is hidden in it's thorny case; the pearl is buried beneath the ocean wave; the gold is imprisoned in the rocky bosom of the mountain; the gem is found only after you crush the rock that encloses it; the very soil gives it's harvest as the reward for industry to the labouring husbandman.

So truth and God must be earnestly sought. "To him that knocketh it shall be opened..." (Matt. 7:8)

Michael Jordan On Hard Work

"I have always approached practice as a kind of proving ground, especially with rookies. They might have seen me on television, read about me ... and might think they know what I'm all about... I want them to know it isn't gossip or rumors. I want them to know it all comes from hard work."

Michael Jordan

Retired pro basketball player

Cited in BITS & PIECES

Love To Be Without Dissimulation, Etc.

Romans 12:9

“[Let] love [be] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. [Be] kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;” (Romans 12:9-11 NKJV)

Love To Be Without Dissimulation, Etc.

• dissimulation [hypocrisy] — 1 Pet 1:22, 1 Jn 3:18, 1 Tim 1:5 — hypocrisy; lit., charity without pretence

• abhor — Ps 97:10, prov 8:13, ps 101:2-4, Ps 36:4, Ps 119:163 — not only shun, but hate

• evil — of every kind and degree

• brotherly love — 1 Pet 3:8, 2 Pet 1:5-7 — love of near relations

• honour…another — Phil 2:3, 1 Pet 5:5 — thinking each superior to yourselves

• not…Lord — Eccl 9:10, Prov 22:29, Col 3:23-24, Eph 4:28, Acts 20:34-35, 2 Th 3:8-10 — “in your haste, be not idle; in your business, be not lazy” (Wordsworth). “In spirit be fervent when serving the Lord” (Macknight).

Business performed religiously — F. Fuller

To manage worldly business

I. Let it be lawful:

1. Allowed by the civil magistrate;

2. Not diabolical;

3. Suited to the good of society.

II. Do it as an act of obedience to God.

III. Perform it to the glory of God.

Six days’ work help the seventh day’s rest — Mr. Cruden, during the last year of his life, lived in terms of the strictest intimacy with the Rev. David Wilson, minister of the Presbyterian congregation, Bow Lane, London. The two friends were in the habit of paying frequent visits to Mr. Gordon, a pious nurseryman in the neighbourhood of the metropolis. One evening Mr. Gordon informed Mr. Wilson that a young Scottish gardener in his employment, who usually attended Divine service at Bow Lane, sometimes absented himself from public worship without a sufficient cause, and was besides rather indolent, desiring the minister to admonish him. The young man was accordingly called into the parlour, and Mr. Wilson concluded a solemn address with these words: “Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy.” “Have you done, sir? “ said Mr. Cruden.” “Yes,” replied Mr. Wilson. “Then,” rejoined Mr. Cruden, “you have forgotten one-half of the commandment: Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work, etc; for if a man does not labour six days of the week, he is not likely to rest properly on the seventh.”

Activity in worldly affairs — It is astonishing to see with what perseverance and inflexibility of purpose those men have pursued the object, the pursuit and attainment of which constituted their greatness. Charles XII was frequently on his horse for twenty-four hours at once; and thus he traversed most of his dominions. His officers were all tired out; consequently, for the most part, he performed these journeys entirely alone. On one of these excursions his poor horse fell dead under him. Without any uneasiness, the monarch stripped the dead horse, and marched off with the saddle, bridle, and pistols on his back. At the next inn he found a horse in the stable to his mind, and immediately harnessed him, and was just making off, when the owner came out, and called him to account for stealing his property. The monarch replied, that he took the horse because he was tired of carrying the saddle himself. This not satisfying the owner, they drew swords, and would have shed blood, royal or plebeian, had not the guard rode up and informed the owner that his sword was raised against his king. This was but a single specimen of the untiring perseverance with which that ambitious man carried out his plans. The same perseverance would place almost any student on a high eminence in a very few years. — Dr J. Todd

“Diligence in business should not hinder fervency in spirit. Like the pure mettled sword, that can bend this way and that way, and turn to its straightness again, and stands not bent, that heart is of the right make that can stoop and bend to the lowest action of its worldly calling, but then return to its f1tness for communion with God.” — Gurnall

“The Christian must not only mind heaven, but attend to his daily calling. Like the pilot, who, while his eye is fixed upon the star, keeps his hand upon the helm.” — T. Watson

From Faith To Love

2 Peter 1:5

2 Peter 1:5–7 — Faith to Love — « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. Exercise Diligence: 2 Peter 1:5a

1. what precedes:

a. we have just been told in verses 3 and 4 that God has given to Christians all they need for life and godliness, including

(A) the promises of sharing God’s nature

(B) their escaping worldly corruption;

b. now we are encouraged in our sanctification «

(A) Romans 6:11-12. Philippians 2:12-13

(B) work of God in which believers co-operate; (L. Berkhof) »

2. various translations of the this part of the verse …

a. AV – And beside this, giving all diligence, …

b. NAS – Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, …

c. NIV – For this very reason, make every effort …

d. J. B. Phillips – For this very reason you must do your utmost from your side, …

e. NLT – So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. …

3. “and beside this” « – the “beside” is part of the following verb »

a. what follows (being man’s responsibility) must rest firmly on what precedes (God’s work of salvation)

b. God’s gifts have as their purpose « — to build up His child »

4. “giving” – literally “to bring or to carry in beside or with” «

a. bringing something along with one, quietly and without ostentatious display –Lange »

b. this is describes the fashion in which we are to carry out these second part of this verse (2 Peter 1:5b)

5. “all diligence” – a very inclusive term: speed, haste, urgency

a. God has done His work thoroughly, we are to do our part by earnestly using the faith, etc., we have been given

B. Faith to Virtue: 2 Peter 1:5b

1. various translations of this part of the verse …

a. AV – … add to your faith virtue; …

b. NAS – … in your faith supply moral excellence, …

c. NIV – … to add to your faith goodness; …

d. J. B. Phillips – … and see that your faith carries with it real goodness of life. …

e. NLT – … Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. …

2. “add” – « Greek: subscribing to cost and equipping of the chorus at the direction of the state, good citizenship required this be done in a generous fashion; from this came the idea of furnishing »

a. the furnishing on our part corresponds to the furnishing {already done} on God’s part « –Lange »

b. this word, as with “diligence,” tells us our response should be « — willingly, generously, beyond the letter the law »

3. “in” or “to” – the Greek word is “in;” we usually say “add to;” in what context do we say “add in” « – following a cooking recipe; this would seem to be a recipe for Christian living! »

a. each item listed in this progression assumes we have taken possession of that which precedes it «

b. Bengel: each of these several steps begets and facilitates the next; each next tempers and perfects the preceding –Lange »

4. “faith” « – so-called practical Christianity must have a spiritual foundation — without this it is incomplete and unintelligent ~EGT »

5. “virtue” – this is the same word as in verse 3, where we are called by or to Christ’s glory and virtue.

a. what are the other renderings of this word? « – real goodness of life, moral excellence … that is, a manifestation of moral power EGT »

b. how should such “virtue” be evident?

(A) 1 John 2:3–4 « – following God’s commandments »

(B) 1 John 5:18 « – not continuing in sin »

C. Virtue to Knowledge: 2 Peter 1:5c

1. various translations of this part of the verse …

a. AV – … and to virtue knowledge;

b. NAS – … and in your moral excellence, knowledge;

c. NIV – … and to goodness, knowledge;

d. J. B. Phillips – … Your goodness must be accompanied by knowledge,

e. NLT – … A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better.

2. “knowledge” – the less emphatic word for knowledge

a. the NLT limits the meaning of this word too specifically to the personal relationship with God; it is spiritual knowledge which includes: « — understanding, … insight, discretion, discernment EGT … an advance into the will of God EBC … ability to distinguish between good and evil BM »

b. knowing God’s will brings with it (Luke 12:48)

(A) « less risk of inadvertently transgressing it »

(B) « more responsibility to follow it »

D. Knowledge to Temperance: 2 Peter 1:6a

1. various translations of this part of the verse …

a. AV – And to knowledge temperance; …

b. NAS – and in your knowledge, self-control, …

c. NIV – and to knowledge, self-control; …

d. J. B. Phillips – your knowledge by self-control, …

e. NLT – Knowing God leads to self-control. …

2. “temperance” – en-krateiav – ruled within (Galatians 5:23)

a. « self-control, with and from knowledge ~EGT … it abstains from the evil it knows to identify, and in Christian liberty steadily bridles its desires Richter in –Lange »

b. this is not the Stoic idea of self-control espoused by the Greek philosophers, but is related to walking in the Spirit. It is the opposite of the greed of false teachers (2:3, 14) and the sensuality of the pagan world (Acts 24:25) « EBC »

E. Temperance to Patience: 2 Peter 1:6b

1. various translations of this part of the verse …

a. AV – … and to temperance patience; …

b. NAS – … and in your self-control, perseverance, …

c. NIV – … and to self-control, perseverance; …

d. J. B. Phillips – … your self-control by the ability to endure. …

e. NLT – … Self control leads to patient endurance, …

2. “patience” – perseverance under abuse, want, troubles, dangers … « –Lange » steadfastness; not turned aside from the faith by trial and suffering « (Luke 8:15, Romans 5:3–5) EGT »

a. what do you learn about “patience” in 2 Thessalonians 1:4? « — that it exist’s in persecution and is a cause for praise »

F. Patience to Godliness: 2 Peter 1:6c

1. various translations of this part of the verse …

a. AV – … and to patience godliness;

b. NAS – … and in your perseverance, godliness;

c. NIV – … and to perseverance, godliness;

d. J. B. Phillips – … Your endurance too must always be accompanied by devotion to God;

e. NLT – … and patient endurance leads to godliness.

2. “godliness” – same word as in verse 3 where God has given us all things pertaining to life and godliness – there we discovered the word has a root idea of W « orship »

a. that part of our Christian walk marked by devotion to God – « the disposition in which the consideration of God controls the whole life, in which He is held in supreme honour, and the doing of which things constitutes its own happiness –Lange »

b. its “mystery” « — something once concealed, now revealed — » is explained in 1 Timothy 3:16 « — Jesus Christ »

G. Godliness to Brotherly Kindness: 2 Peter 1:7a

1. various translations of this part of the verse …

a. AV – And to godliness brotherly kindness; …

b. NAS – and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, …

c. NIV – and to godliness, brotherly kindness; …

d. J. B. Phillips – that in turn must have in it the quality of brotherliness, …

e. NLT – Godliness leads to love for other Christians, …

2. “brotherly kindness” – this is the philadelphia kind of love

a. affection to the brethren; within the church « ~EGT » see Romans 12:10; it is marked by « — giving others preference »

H. Brotherly Kindness to Love: 2 Peter 1:7b

1. various translations of this part of the verse …

a. AV – … and to brotherly kindness charity.

b. NAS – … and in your brotherly kindness, love.

c. NIV – … and to brotherly kindness, love.

d. J. B. Phillips – … and your brotherliness must lead on to Christian love.

e. NLT – … and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone.

2. “love” – this is the agape kind of love (as used in 1 Corinthians 13)

a. what is it? « – probably love toward all, even enemies; not directed by sense or emotion EGT … Mayor: Love to God manifesting itself in love to man and to the whole creation, animate and inanimate EGT »

b. what marks this kind of love? « — see also 1 John 4:7–8 »

The Believer's Prospect

2 Peter 1:10

2 Peter 1:10–11 — The Believer’s Prospect « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. The Charge (ie., Commission) 2 Peter 1:10a

1. various translations of the this part of the verse …

a. AV – Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: …

b. NAS – Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; …

c. NIV – Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. …

d. J. B. Phillips – Set your minds, then, on endorsing by your conduct the fact that God has called and chosen you. …

e. NLT – So, dear friends, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. …

2. “wherefore the rather”

a. this is the most literal of the translations shown

b. it indicates that what is to follow

(A) is directly derived from what has just been said

(B) is in contrast to what has just been said

c. what is the preceding example to be avoided? (Verse 9)

(A) those who « lack the virtues of Christian growth »

(B) those who « are forgetful of their being cleansed from sin »

3. “give diligence”

a. this reflects back to verse 5, “giving all diligence, add … “

b. in that verse, and those following, what was the believer to give diligence to? « — the 8 virtues of Christian growth as found in verses 5–7 »

c. note that the less literal translations disguise this relationship

4. “calling”

a. who does this? « — God (see, for example, Romans 8:30, 2 Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 3:1) »

b. is there anything that I can do to improve upon it? « — No »

5. “election”

a. which means our « being chosen »

b. who does this? « — God (see, for example, 1 Thessalonians 1:4) »

c. is there anything that I can do to improve upon it? « — No »

6. “sure”

a. this word means F_______ « irm » , S_____________ « teadfast » , E___________ « during; it comes from a verb which means to confirm or to ratify »

b. what are the grounds upon which we have assurance of our salvation

(A) on the completed « work of redemption by Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary »

(B) on all God’s « promises which are certain because God cannot lie »

(C) on the Holy Spirit’s « sanctifying work as evidenced by the Christian growth as described in verses 5–7 »

c. so, is having assurance of salvation presumptuous? « — no because it is the work of God »

d. see verse 9 and also Hebrews 6:9; when is it presumptuous? « — when we do not grow as Christians; are still babes; are negligent about what Christ has done for us »

e. how can these things be true with a Christian?

(A) Ephesians 4:30 « — by grieving the Spirit »

(B) 1 Thessalonians 5:19 « — by quenching the Spirit »

7. This theme — that of proving the reality of our salvation is found elsewhere in the New Testament

a. Philippians 2:12 )NKJV): Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

b. 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NKJV): Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

B. The Purpose: 2 Peter 1:10b

1. various translations of this part of the verse …

a. AV – … for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

b. NAS – … for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;

c. NIV – … For if you do these things, you will never fall,

d. J. B. Phillips – … If you go along these lines there is no reason why you should stumble.

e. NLT – … Doing this, you will never stumble or fall away.

2. “these things”

a. what things (we’ve asked this before!)? « — the diligence in seeking Christian growth as described in verses 5–7 »

3. “never fall”

a. what are the other translations?

(A) the same « — or “stumble” »

(B) the NLT? « — uses both words, you choose between “stumble” or a much stronger “fall away” »

(C) the lexicons gives these meanings: to fall, to stumble, to trip; to err or fail in duty; to offend; to fail or fall short of success and happiness « — so what is being described here is a break in one’s Christian walk; going astray, making a mistake, sin. While there are some examples of its being used for “ruined, lost” in extra-Biblical writings (Arndt & Gingrich), it is contrary to other Scripture to take this to mean tjhe loss of one’s position by grace in Christ Jesus, “loss of one’s salvation”; to do so is quite inconsistent with the context which deals with Christian growth. »

C. The Outcome 2 Peter 1:11

1. various translations of the this part of the verse …

a. AV – For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

b. NAS – for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

c. NIV – and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

d. J. B. Phillips – Indeed if you live this sort of life a rich welcome awaits you as you enter the eternal kingdom of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

e. NLT – And God will open wide the gates of heaven for you to enter into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

2. “entrance”

a. literally, “way or road into,” either of the act of entering or of the entranceway itself

3. “shall be ministered”

a. this is the same word as used in verse 5, “add,” but in the passive sense (ie., someone else is doing the adding) rather than the active sense

b. so what are the other translations? … do they add anything?

(A) NAS: « be supplied … harks back to the idea in verse 5 which included the idea of furnishing »

(B) NIV: « you will receive a rich welcome (NIV) … rephrased »

(C) the others: « very loose translations of the passage which add “devotional thoughts” which are not necessarily contained in the original »

4. “everlasting kingdom”

a. whose is it? « — it is the domain of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ »

b. what is it? « — the O.T. uses this phrase of the kingdom of the Lord (Yahweh) in Psalm 145:13, Daniel 4:3, 34; 7:14, 27; which is in control of everything on the earth. This is the only place the phrase is used in the New Testament. »

Steadfastness

2 Peter 3:14

2 Peter 3:14–18 — Steadfastness « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. 3:14–15a — Hence a call for Diligence

1. AV: 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15a And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; …

2. NIV: 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15s Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, …

3. NAS: 14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15a and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; …

4. J. B. Philips: 14 Because, my dear friends, you have a hope like this before you, I urge you to make certain that the day will find you at peace with God, flawless and blameless in his sight. 15a Meanwhile, consider our Lord’s patience for man’s salvation, …

5. NLT: 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and blameless life. And be at peace with God. 15a And remember, the Lord is waiting so that people have time to be saved. …

6. RGH: 14 Hence, dearly beloved ones, in looking forward to these things, be eager to be found in peace by Him, spotless and blameless, 15a and consider the longsuffering of our Lord to be salvation; …

7. What are the things to which we are looking forward? « — the new creation which will result from Christi’s return »

8. What attitude is encouraged here (the same theme is found in 2 Peter 1:5, 10, 15 « — that of being eager, diligent, zealous, earnest »

9. In what direction is this attitude to be directed « — fulfilling of our reconciled situation with God in Christ »

10. What are the marks of practical righteousness? « — cleansed of the evidences of sin (spotless) and its consequences (blameless) »

11. The scoffers look at God’s inaction and treat it as an evidence of His indifference, His unfaithfulness, or His non-existence; what does Peter say it is? « — it is the opportunity afforded by God so that salvation can be realized by men and women »

B. 3:15b–16 — Paul and I Agree

1. AV: 15b … even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

2. NIV: 15b … just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

3. NAS: 15b … just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

4. J. B. Philips: 15b … as our dear brother Paul pointed out in his letter to you, written out of the wisdom God gave him. This is how be writes in all his letters when be refers to these things. 16 There are some points in his letters which are difficult to understand, and which ill-informed and unbalanced people distort (as they do the other scriptures), and bring disaster on their own heads.

5. NLT: 15b … This is just as our beloved brother Paul wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him — 16 speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters around to mean something quite different from what he meant, just as they do the other parts of Scripture — and the result is disaster for them.

6. RGH: 15b … just as Paul, our dearly beloved brother, according to his gift of wisdom, wrote to you about these things 16 as he speaks in all his epistles, wherein are some hard things to understand; which the unlearned and unsteadfast contort to their own destruction as they do with the rest of the Scriptures.

7. In Romans 2:4, what similar message did Paul present? « — God’s delay in judgement is so man may come to repentance … »

8. It is a good assumption that Galatians had already been written; how did Peter respond to 2:11, 14ff? « — accepted it and read Paul »

9. What do we learn about Paul’s writings « — their early and wide distribution and acceptance as equal with Old Testament »

10. How do the merely curious respond to truth « — see 2 Tim 4:3 »

C. 3:17 — Remain Steadfast

1. AV: Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

2. NIV: Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.

3. NAS: You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness,

4. J. B. Philips: But you, my friends whom I love, are forewarned, and should therefore be very careful not to be carried away by the errors of unprincipled men and so lose your proper foothold.

5. NLT: I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends, so that you can watch out and not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people. I don’t want you to lose your own secure footing.

6. RGH: You, therefore, dearly beloved ones, since you are forewarned, guard yourselves lest being swept away with the error of the irreligious you might fall off from your own steadfastness:

7. What is the forewarning that we have? « — that judgement is coming, that everything in this world is transient and fleeting »

8. What are some means given to guard ourselves? « — the next verse gives a summary, but also see (Eph 6:10ff, 2 Thes 3:3, 1 Tim 6:20, 2 Tim 1:12, 14, 1 John 5:21, Jude 1:24) »

9. The word “wicked” (lawless, unprincipled, irreligious) contains not just a legal but a spiritual flavour: it refers to those who are immoral; what are the impetus to immorality? « — the old nature, lust, pride, self-centredness, … »

10. What are some means given to guard ourselves from these? « — the Holy Spirit, the Word, praise, prayer and confession »

11. “Steadfastness” — this word, or its relatives and opposites, is found in 1 Peter 5:10 (”establish”), 2 Peter 1:12 (”established”), 2:14 (”unstable”) and 3:16 (”unstable”); is this to be thought a present or future state, (and in what context)

a. in 1 Peter 5:10? « – future after God’s purposes fulfilled »

b. in 2 Peter 1:12? « — present in the response and acceptance of the truth »

D. 3:18 — How to Stay Steadfast

1. AV: But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

2. NIV: But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever! Amen.

3. NAS: but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

4. J. B. Philips: On the contrary, you should grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ — to him be glory now and until the day of eternity!

5. NLT: But grow in the special favour and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be all glory and honour, both now and forevermore. Amen.

6. RGH: But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and unto the day of the age. So be it.

7. The word grow in the Greek as in the English often has reference to the produce of a farmer; what two harvests are we to seek?

a. grace « — a practical realization of God’s undeserved favour shown to us which is reflected in our daily living? Thankful response to Him by our lives. »

b. knowledge « — (of our Saviour God) this is the day to day walk with Jesus our Lord God, walking in His ways, love and commands; with increased intimacy and fellowship »

8. How will these harvests help in our guarding ourselves from being swept away with the error of the irreligious? « — if the root of the danger is “self” then these change our focus outward and upward. Discuss how this is the case. »

9. In the light of Isaiah 42:8, 48:11, what do you think of Peter’s closing prayer?

Signs of the Sluggard

Proverbs 24:30

Sermon in Proverbs series. Proverbs 24:30-34

SIGNS OF THE SLUGGARD

=====================

I. An epidemic of laziness.

A. Parents on strike.

B. Diligence makes a difference.

II. The sluggard is a comic, tragic figure.

A. Animal laziness. 26:14

B. Preposterous excuses. 26:13

C. Final helplessness: No food, no future. 20:4

III. Problems of sluggards.

A. They will not begin things. 6:9-10

B. They will not finish things. 26:15

C. They will not face things.

IV. Results of sluggardness.

A. They are restless.

B. They are helpless. 15:19

C. They are useless. 10:26

V. Alternative - be a winner.

A. Learn from the mistakes of sluggards. 24:32

B. Think positively.

C. Act positively. 10:4

D. Don't give up.

________

Outline is adapted from Derek Kidner's commentary on Proverbs.

Diligence Does Pay Off

John 17:20

”Thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds” (Proverbs 24:31)

We spend one more day on the subject of diligence. What are diligence and perseverance all about? They are sticking to a task you know God wants you to do until it is completed, irrespective of the difficulties and frustrations. Diligence does pay off.

Two frogs who fell into a bucket of cream tried very hard to get out, but each time they slipped back again. One said, “We’ll never get out of here,” gave up and drowned. The other frog persevered with kicking. Suddenly, he felt something hard beneath his feet and discovered that his kicking had turned the cream into butter. He hopped on top of it and was able to leap out to safety.

Someone has described diligence as “an archaic word.” It may not play a big part in today’s world, but it plays a big part in the Bible. Those who have done great exploits for God have been men and women of persistence and perseverance.

One of the greatest examples of diligence in the Bible is the apostle Paul. The verse that best brings this out is this: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). He kept going when others would have given up.

I love the story of Sir Winston Churchill who, during his last years, and though failing and feeble, stood up to address a group of university students and said: “I have just one thing to say to you: Never give up. Never, never give up. Never, never, never give up.” He sat down to a standing ovation.

PRAYER:

Father, I see that life can be made or broken at the place of continuance. Give me this aspect of wisdom so that, like a postage stamp, I will stick to one thing until I get there. In Jesus’ Name I ask it. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY: — John 17:20-26; John 19:30

1. What will Jesus not give up doing?

2. What did Jesus declare on the Cross?

Persevere: What's the Point?

Job 17:9

”The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5)

Today we ask ourselves: What is the point of diligence? Why keep persevering in a task? I’ll tell you why. It is because it is in the arena of perseverance that true character is forged out, shaped, tempered and polished. It is in the daily grind that the character of Jesus is given the maximum opportunity to be reproduced in us, replacing what Charles Swindoll calls that “thin, fragile internal theology with a tough reliable set of convictions that enable us to handle life rather than escape from it.”

Listen to how the apostle Paul puts it in Romans 5:3-4: “We also rejoice in our sufferings, [why?] because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Because life is a task, we need strength to face it, not speed to escape from it.

When the foundations shake beneath our feet, when Christian friends, even leaders, fall into immorality, when the anchor points of civilization disappear, when the bottom drops out and brutal blows push us up against the ropes and pound the very life out of us, we need what diligence and perseverance offer us – willingness to face whatever comes, determination to stand firm, knowing that Christ is not just with us but in us, insight to see the Lord’s hand in everything and character enough to continue.

Without diligence, we will stumble and fall. With it, we will survive and conquer. The astute of this world are wise enough to recognize that no advances can be made in life without diligence. How much more ought we, who name the Name of Christ and have Him living within us, to recognize this also?

PRAYER:

O God, help me see that I am at grips with the raw materials of human living. Out of them I must fashion the important quality of diligence. Help me never to forget that the rewards are much more than the cost. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY: — 2 Corinthians 11:16-33; Job 17:9 Galalatians 6:9; James 1:12

1. What were some of the obstacles Paul had to face?

2. What is the reward of those who persevere?

Polishing the Unseen Parts

Amos 7:7

Illustration: Thomas Firbank, in I Bought A Star,* tells of a conversation he had with a formula race car driver; he asked the professional why he took time to paint and polish the undercarriage as well as all the other unseen parts of his car. The driver responded, “If the metal is spotlessly clean, I can see at once if there is a flaw.” [*George G. Harrap, London]

Commentary: The church so much needs to adopt this Godly attitude; sanding, grinding, buffing, prepping, painting, and polishing every unseen part. Not so God can “see at once if there is a flaw,” [nothing is hidden from His sight; Hebrews 4:13]; it’s so we can see our own flaws.

Holiness is from God but the holiness of the saints is not; that responsibility rests wholly on our shoulders!

Soldiers are taught field discipline during peacetime not wartime, in the barracks not in the field. Polished boots and buckles, along with carefully folded underwear, are not needed during peacetime, nor are they essential to barracks life. This discipline is for the field during wartime. In the field, attention to detail IS essential . it cannot be learned under stress, nor is there time to do so!

Every boot camp Drill Instructor knows this! Every army knows (or quickly learns) it is a malicious policy which says during training, “We need not bother the men with the details, they’ll pick them up as they need them in the field.”

Too frequently today we are witnessing an undisciplined demeanor among the church “saints”; worse, it’s promoted by many drill instructors.

Check Your Work

Ephesians 5:15

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise. —Ephesians 5:15

I’m getting pretty good at math. That’s because every day my son Steve and I have a little math session. He does his 30 junior high math problems, and I help him check them over. Sometimes we even get them all right.

As I go over Steve’s math, I notice that he understands how to do his problems. In fact, in some areas he’s better at it than I am. But occasionally, despite knowing how to do the problem, he gets the wrong answer. He either gets a little sloppy in using the right formula or he just doesn’t check his answers carefully.

Aren’t we all a little like that in our Christian life? We know what we should do. We have a good understanding of how to live the Christian life, but we get careless or lazy. We know better, but we fail.

For instance, we know we aren’t supposed to gossip. But before we know it, we’re roasting a fellow Christian. Or this: We know God wants us to keep our mind and heart pure, but we let down our guard and watch a TV program or movie we know is not edifying.

It’s true, isn’t it? We all get a little sloppy in how we live for God. Let’s be more careful and pay closer attention to our Christian walk (Ephesians 5:15). Let’s make sure we’re doing quality work for our heavenly Father. —JDB

Lord, help me to apply Your Word

And move it from my head

To actions that won’t shame your Name

But honor You instead. —Sper

Give your all for Jesus, He gave His all for you.

The Battle For Your Heart

Luke 6:45

Gary Haran was so committed to playing a video game called World of Warcraft (WOW) that he decided he had to quit in order to reclaim his life. So he started a website devoted to World of Warcraft addicts who needed a place to talk about their compulsive game playing. When his website went live, the first day there were about 20 posts. By the time he sold the website there were 20,000 daily posts from players who wanted to talk about their obsessive dedication to the video game. (1)

Video game addiction can have deadly consequences:

• In 2009, a three-month-old South Korean child died from malnutrition when her parents spent their free time in an internet café raising a virtual child in an online game.

• An American father’s 10-month-old twin sons drowned in a bathtub while he went into another room to continue playing a video game.

Let me be clear: This is not an article about the dangers of any video game. It is an article about passion -- what we choose to commit ourselves to.

That truth cuts two ways. If we commit our hearts to something negative, the outcome can be hurtful, even deadly. But if we allow the passion of the heart to be directed toward God, then the outcome can be life-giving and life-saving.

Power of passion

Solomon summarized the power of the human heart in two lines: “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Let me cite a couple truths:

• The what

The Hebrew verb for keep is an imperative form -- it is a command. Commands in Scripture are not optional.

Diligence translates a Hebrew word that describes a guard in a jail. It suggests that a guard does whatever is necessary to keep his prisoners from escaping. Reverse the image with regard to the heart: Instead of keeping something from escaping, do whatever is necessary to keep anything harmful from coming in.

Summary: We must take all precautions to protect and keep our hearts safe.

• The why

We are to guard our heart ruthlessly, “for out of it spring the issues of life.” Or, more literally, “for from [the heart] flow the springs of life” (NASB).

The passion of the human heart is so powerful that it impacts the kinds of lives we live -- the heart is where life starts. And, as we have seen, sometimes it is where life ends. It all depends on where our passion is directed.

It is the heart, Jesus says, that determines how we express ourselves in this life. The object of our passions will determine the display of our passions. The heart is that powerful.

Process of passion

Before we talk about protecting your heart -- the seat of your passion -- notice how you make deposits in the treasury of your heart over time. In Luke 6:45, Jesus says that “a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good.” Treasure refers to a storehouse -- a place where one builds up a treasure over time. That’s why consistent meditation on the Word of God and fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit are so important.

We must take Jesus’ words seriously. Our lives ultimately will reveal the nature of what has been stored up in our hearts. All of us have had momentary, impulsive failures. But we must believe that from the heart spring forth the issues of life. If we are to avoid the sadness and shame of failure in our lives, we must learn to safeguard the source of our spiritual and emotional lives.

Protecting your passion

The media is full of “healthy heart” tips today that we should follow, but even more important are efforts we can make to safeguard the wellspring of our spiritual life, including:

1. Don’t leave your first love, Jesus Christ. Meet with Christ daily, intimately and devotedly. And be in touch with Him moment by moment throughout every day.

2. Be on the alert. Recognize that Satan wants to steal your affection for God (1 Peter 5:8).

3. Love God with all your heart. Jesus said giving God our whole hearts is part of our highest priority (Matthew 22:37). A daily choice to give God all your heart will not allow room for diversions.

4. Do not lose heart. In times of trouble or distress, Satan will be there to see if you will lose heart. If you do, he will encourage you to pursue an ungodly path. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9).

Remember: Your heart is the seat of your emotional and spiritual passion in life. Do not allow it to be devoted to anything less than its true object -- God.

________

(1) http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/video-game-addiction-no-fun (accessed 2-10-14)

Love To Be Without Dissimulation, Etc.

Romans 12:9

“[Let] love [be] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. [Be] kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;” (Romans 12:9-11 NKJV)

Love To Be Without Dissimulation, Etc.

• dissimulation [hypocrisy] — 1 Pet 1:22, 1 Jn 3:18, 1 Tim 1:5 — hypocrisy; lit., charity without pretence

• abhor — Ps 97:10, prov 8:13, ps 101:2-4, Ps 36:4, Ps 119:163 — not only shun, but hate

• evil — of every kind and degree

• brotherly love — 1 Pet 3:8, 2 Pet 1:5-7 — love of near relations

• honour…another — Phil 2:3, 1 Pet 5:5 — thinking each superior to yourselves

• not…Lord — Eccl 9:10, Prov 22:29, Col 3:23-24, Eph 4:28, Acts 20:34-35, 2 Th 3:8-10 — “in your haste, be not idle; in your business, be not lazy” (Wordsworth). “In spirit be fervent when serving the Lord” (Macknight).

Business performed religiously — F. Fuller

To manage worldly business

I. Let it be lawful:

1. Allowed by the civil magistrate;

2. Not diabolical;

3. Suited to the good of society.

II. Do it as an act of obedience to God.

III. Perform it to the glory of God.

Six days’ work help the seventh day’s rest — Mr. Cruden, during the last year of his life, lived in terms of the strictest intimacy with the Rev. David Wilson, minister of the Presbyterian congregation, Bow Lane, London. The two friends were in the habit of paying frequent visits to Mr. Gordon, a pious nurseryman in the neighbourhood of the metropolis. One evening Mr. Gordon informed Mr. Wilson that a young Scottish gardener in his employment, who usually attended Divine service at Bow Lane, sometimes absented himself from public worship without a sufficient cause, and was besides rather indolent, desiring the minister to admonish him. The young man was accordingly called into the parlour, and Mr. Wilson concluded a solemn address with these words: “Remember the Sabbath-day, to keep it holy.” “Have you done, sir? “ said Mr. Cruden.” “Yes,” replied Mr. Wilson. “Then,” rejoined Mr. Cruden, “you have forgotten one-half of the commandment: Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work, etc; for if a man does not labour six days of the week, he is not likely to rest properly on the seventh.”

Activity in worldly affairs — It is astonishing to see with what perseverance and inflexibility of purpose those men have pursued the object, the pursuit and attainment of which constituted their greatness. Charles XII was frequently on his horse for twenty-four hours at once; and thus he traversed most of his dominions. His officers were all tired out; consequently, for the most part, he performed these journeys entirely alone. On one of these excursions his poor horse fell dead under him. Without any uneasiness, the monarch stripped the dead horse, and marched off with the saddle, bridle, and pistols on his back. At the next inn he found a horse in the stable to his mind, and immediately harnessed him, and was just making off, when the owner came out, and called him to account for stealing his property. The monarch replied, that he took the horse because he was tired of carrying the saddle himself. This not satisfying the owner, they drew swords, and would have shed blood, royal or plebeian, had not the guard rode up and informed the owner that his sword was raised against his king. This was but a single specimen of the untiring perseverance with which that ambitious man carried out his plans. The same perseverance would place almost any student on a high eminence in a very few years. — Dr J. Todd

“Diligence in business should not hinder fervency in spirit. Like the pure mettled sword, that can bend this way and that way, and turn to its straightness again, and stands not bent, that heart is of the right make that can stoop and bend to the lowest action of its worldly calling, but then return to its f1tness for communion with God.” — Gurnall

“The Christian must not only mind heaven, but attend to his daily calling. Like the pilot, who, while his eye is fixed upon the star, keeps his hand upon the helm.” — T. Watson

Preaching, One-handed

1 Chronicles 12:1

A preacher skilled in spiritual warfare delivers powerful, unexpected messages.

Could hurl stones with left as well as right hand. Able to give the unexpected blow. See v. 8 and cf. 2 Tim. 2:15; Eph. 6:12-19. Preachers who shoot blank cartridges

Faithfulness

Faithfulness and diligence in duty provide calm courage in times of crisis.

To the coolness and devotion to duty of John Binns, operator of the “wireless,” and one of the actors in the shipwreck of the _Republic_, was due the prompt assistance accorded the stricken passenger-steamer by sister liners. As he himself exprest it by wireless, Binns was “on the job” from the time the _Florida_ crashed into the _Republic_ amidships until the last passenger had been transferred to the colliding vessel.

It was a stretch of thirty hours, and every minute of that time the telephone receivers, which are part of the wireless apparatus, were strapped to his eager and listening ears. Seldom has there been a more shining example of that calm courage that goes hand in hand with a sound sense of business duty.

Almost until the _Republic_ went down Binns kept his ship in touch with Siasconset and passing ships by the use of accumulators, for the shutting down of the engines ended the power of his electric dynamos that ordinarily give the power of transmission to the wireless.

Punctuality

Consistent punctuality demonstrates faithfulness and diligence in daily responsibilities.

A New York motorman is the subject of the following news item in a daily paper:

For the first time in thirty years Robert Willoughby failed to wake up this morning when his thirty clocks, simultaneously setting off a series of gongs, gave their customary alarms at six o’clock. He had died some time during the night of Bright’s disease.

Willoughby was fifty-seven years old and had been employed as a motorman by the Third Avenue Elevated Railway. He was the most punctual employee in the service. No matter what the weather was, Willoughby was never late.

The secret of his punctuality came to light when his room was inspected to-day. Ranged round his bed were thirty clocks of different sizes and makes. All struck the same hour at the same time.

Quotes On Stewardship, Charity, Giving

Luke 12:42

“If you give what you do not need, it isn't giving.”

-- Mother Teresa

"One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving."

-- Amy Carmichael

"Giving is the secret of a healthy life. Not necessarily money, but whatever a person has of

encouragement, sympathy and understanding."

-- John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

"Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones tend to take care of themselves."

-- Dale Carnegie

"If you wish to have power and influence over the many, be faithful (disciplined) when there is just a few. If you have a few employees, a few distributors, a few people, that's the time to stay in touch and be totally absorbed - when there is just a few."

-- Jim Rohn

"Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best."

-- Henry Van Dyke

"Waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both. Without industry and frugality, nothing will do, and with them everything."

-- Benjamin Franklin

"If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself."

-- Mickey Mantle

"The word philanthropy has its roots in the Greek language meaning 'love for mankind.' It was never meant to apply only to donors of thousands or millions of dollars."

-- Arthur C. Frantzreb, philanthropy consultant

"Every charitable act is a stepping stone towards heaven."

-- Henry Ward Beecher

"As the purse is emptied, the heart is filled."

-- Victor Hugo

"If you give money, spend yourself with it."

-- Henry David Thoreau

"He who waits to do a great deal of good at once, will never do anything."

-- Samuel Johnson

"The truly generous is the truly wise, and he who loves not others, lives unblest."

-- Henry Home

"Charity sees the need, not the cause."

-- German Proverb

"Not he who has much is rich, but he who gives much."

-- Erich Fromm

"The highest exercise of charity is charity towards the uncharitable."

-- J. S. Buckminster

"What we frankly give, forever is our own."

-- George Granville

"It is more blessed to give than to receive."

-- Acts 20:35

"Prayer carries us half way to God, fasting brings us to the door of His palace, and alms-giving procures us admission."

-- The Koran

"If you haven't got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble."

-- Bob Hope

"Charity: a thing that begins at home, and usually stays there."

-- Elbert Hubbard

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."

-- 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

"They take the paper and they read the headlines,

So they've heard of unemployment and they've heard of breadlines,

And they philanthropically cure them all

By getting up a costume charity ball."

-- Ogden Nash

"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us finish the work we are in."

-- Abraham Lincoln

"One must be poor to know the luxury of giving."

-- George Eliot

"Give no bounties: make equal laws: secure life and prosperity and you need not give alms."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

-- Norman MacEwan

"If one first gives himself to the Lord, all other giving is easy."

-- Robert Harris; SermonCentral.com 2/4/04

“The world will not be won to Christ on what we can conveniently spare.”

-- Bernard Ettinger; SermonCentral.com 2/19/07

“The basic question is not how much of our money should we give to God, but how much of God’s money should we keep for ourselves.”

-- J. Oswald Sanders; SermonCentral.com 2/19/07

"Giving advice doesn't qualify as charity."

-- Unknown

"Real charity doesn't care if it's tax deductible or not."

-- Unknown

"A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog."

-- Jack London (Instant Quotation Dictionary), p. 55.

Abilities

Natural abilities require pruning and study to avoid degeneration and achieve success.

Lord Bacon says that “natural abilities are like natural plants that need pruning by study.” Conversely untrained talents are like wild plants that degenerate when left to themselves.

Health, Care Of

Physical discipline and exercise sustain strength and endurance even into old age.

Spare diet and constant exercise in the keen morning air helped to endow Wesley with that amazing physical toughness which enabled him, when eighty-five years old, to walk six miles to a preaching appointment, and declare that the only sign of old age he felt was that “he could not walk nor run quite so fast as he once did.”--W. H. FITCHETT, “Wesley and His Century.”

Practise

Missing practice is quickly noticed, emphasizing consistent discipline in skill development.

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Rubenstein--that thunderer of the keyboard--is credited with the following dictum: “If I do not practise for a day I know it; if I miss two days my friends know it; and if I miss three days the public knows it.” (Text.)

Reading By Schedule

Consistent daily reading and prayer develop deep spiritual knowledge and growth.

Rev. W. H. Fitchett writes about a great Methodist pioneer a paragraph that shows how an education may be acquired by regular and persistent toil.

The Staffordshire peasant, Francis Asbury, traveling five thousand miles a year, preaching incessantly, spending three hours a day in prayer, and without a settled home, yet had it as a fixt rule to read a hundred pages daily. He made himself a scholar, and mastered Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.--“Wesley and His Century.”

Training

Skillful work demands disciplined training and careful attention to details, not guesswork.

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There is little room, or only inferior positions in the world for men who are not trained, at least in some respects.

Look at the well-trained blacksmith; he goes across the shop, picks up the horse’s foot, takes a squint, returns to his anvil, forges the shoe, and it exactly fits the foot. Contrast him with the bungler who looks at the foot, then forges a shoe, then fits the foot to it, often to the ruin of a fine horse. Now, the fault lies in ever allowing himself to put a shoe on that is not in proper shape for the foot; he should determine to make the shoe fit the foot in place of the foot fitting the shoe, and he should follow it up until the object is accomplished. A very good way to discipline the mechanical eye is to first measure an inch with the eye, and then prove it with the rule, then measure a half inch, then an eighth, and so on, and you will soon be able to discover at a glance the difference between a twelfth and a sixteenth of an inch; then go to three inches, six, twelve, and so on. Some call this guessing; there is no guesswork about it. It is measuring with the eye and the mind. If you can not see things mechanically, do not blame the eye for it; it is no more to blame than the mouth is because we can not read, or the fingers because we can not write. Every occupation in life requires a mechanically-trained eye, and we should realize more than we do the great importance of properly training that organ.--_Mining and Scientific Press._

Do You Want To Be An Oak Or A Squash?

Hebrews 5:12

When James A. Garfield was president of Hiram College in Ohio, a man brought his son for entrance as a student. The man wanted a shorter course of study than the usual. "The boy can never take all that in," said the father. "He wants to get through quicker. Can you arrange it for him?"

Garfield replied, "Oh yes, he can take a short course; it all depends on what you want to make of him. When God wants to make an oak tree, he takes a hundred years. He only takes two months to make a squash."

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Many want instant spirituality - like instant coffee or potatoes! It doesn't come that way! There are no short courses! No short-cuts! No gimmicks! It takes time to grow! Growth is a sequence - an orderly arrangement! "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again" was God's indictment of the Hebrew Christians (Hebrews 5:12-14).

It Takes Time - Get Going!

Hebrews 5:12

Mario Pei, one of the greatest linguists in the world who speaks, reads, or understands an unbelievable number of languages, including Italian, English, Russian, French, German, Portuguese, Latin, and Greek, is frequently asked: “How long will it take for me to learn a language?” or “How long will it take for me to learn a language using this method, or that method?”

Pei sometimes responds to such questions with a story. An ancient Greek sage was met on a highway by a stranger who asked: “How long will it take me to get to Athens?” “Get going!” the sage answered. The puzzled stranger asked again and received the same curt answer. The traveler shrugged his shoulders and went his way, thinking the old man was rude or crazy. After taking about twenty steps, the old wise man shouted, “It will take you about two hours to get to Athens.” The traveler returned and asked why the answer was not given from the first. “I had to see how fast you walk before I could give you the right answer.” Likewise, Pei cannot tell a person how long it will take to learn a language until he sees how fast a person learns.

There are many claims for short-cut methods to learning a foreign language. Most of these claims are exaggerated. Certainly there are some methods which are better than other methods; but time, study, effort, and discipline are needed with any method.

What does this have to do with religion? Sometimes people wonder how long it will take them to become spiritually mature. A spiritual guide might respond, “Get going!” The answer is, “It all depends on how fast you walk.” Spiritual growth is, at best, a slow process. Any claims for short-cut methods are misleading. How much or how fast we grow spiritually will depend on how much we work at it, our self-discipline, our effort, and our willingness to cooperate with God's working in our lives.

In the book of Hebrews, we read of some who should have grown toward spiritual maturity, but they were still like babies: teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (Heb. 5:12-14). Most, if not all, things that are worthwhile are attained slowly through great effort. Spiritual maturity is the same. It is a struggle that requires patience and perseverance.

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Steve Williams; Memphis, TN

Effort of A single mole

The mole is blind, but it can dig a 100-yard tunnel in one night. To accomplish proportionately the same thing, a man would have to complete in a single night a tunnel 50 miles long and wide enough to crawl through!

Effort of bees

In 1990, Americans consumed almost 300 million pounds of honey. If you think that's a lot, you're right; and if you wnat to understand the expression "busy as a bee," think about this - it takes more than 550 bees visiting 2.5 million flowers to create one pound of honey. To make those 300 millions pounds of honey, the busy little creatures had to dip into about 700 quadrillion flowers. Another way to look at it is that a bee makes about 154 trips to a flower for one teaspoon of honey and about 20,000 trips to bring in one pound. Translation: about 160,000 bee-hours go into producing a pound of honey.

Persevere: What's the Point?

Job 17:9

”The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5)

Today we ask ourselves: What is the point of diligence? Why keep persevering in a task? I’ll tell you why. It is because it is in the arena of perseverance that true character is forged out, shaped, tempered and polished. It is in the daily grind that the character of Jesus is given the maximum opportunity to be reproduced in us, replacing what Charles Swindoll calls that “thin, fragile internal theology with a tough reliable set of convictions that enable us to handle life rather than escape from it.”

Listen to how the apostle Paul puts it in Romans 5:3-4: “We also rejoice in our sufferings, [why?] because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Because life is a task, we need strength to face it, not speed to escape from it.

When the foundations shake beneath our feet, when Christian friends, even leaders, fall into immorality, when the anchor points of civilization disappear, when the bottom drops out and brutal blows push us up against the ropes and pound the very life out of us, we need what diligence and perseverance offer us – willingness to face whatever comes, determination to stand firm, knowing that Christ is not just with us but in us, insight to see the Lord’s hand in everything and character enough to continue.

Without diligence, we will stumble and fall. With it, we will survive and conquer. The astute of this world are wise enough to recognize that no advances can be made in life without diligence. How much more ought we, who name the Name of Christ and have Him living within us, to recognize this also?

PRAYER:

O God, help me see that I am at grips with the raw materials of human living. Out of them I must fashion the important quality of diligence. Help me never to forget that the rewards are much more than the cost. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

FURTHER STUDY: — 2 Corinthians 11:16-33; Job 17:9 Galalatians 6:9; James 1:12

1. What were some of the obstacles Paul had to face?

2. What is the reward of those who persevere?

Utilization

Thrift and care can turn ordinary resources into abundant provision even in difficult conditions.

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Not so long ago there arrived at a Pacific port a ship from Belfast, Ireland, after a voyage that was in one respect remarkable. It appears that this vessel’s ballast consisted of about 2,000 tons of Irish soil. This, when leveled off, made a pretty good-sized garden patch, and the members of the crew, with commendable thrift, took it into their heads to improve it.

They planted a good stock of garden truck--cabbages, leeks, turnips, radishes, peas, beans, lettuce and other things. These came up in due course, and flourished admirably, especially while the ship was in the tropics, and the men had fresh “garden sass” to their hearts’ content.

As they rounded Cape Horn they replanted the garden, and by the time they reached the equator everything was again green and the table well supplied.

The two drawbacks were the weeds, which grew apace, and the inroads of the ship’s drove of pigs, which were kept in the “farm-yard attachment,” and which, on several occasions, when the ship was rolling heavily, broke out of bounds and, of course, did their best to obtain their share of the garden truck.

The last pig was killed and served with green vegetables just before the vessel entered the port on the Pacific. On the arrival of the ship the sod was taken to its destination, ready to be used again for terrestrial gardening.--_Harper’s Weekly._

Advantage, Working To The Best

Working to our strengths reduces friction and increases effectiveness in life.

If we all worked at what we could do best, not only would more work be done, but most of life’s friction and worry would be eliminated.

The English are a ballad-loving people, and few singers could sing a ballad like Antoinette Sterling. She sometimes, but rarely, sang classical music. She knew where she was the strongest, and she wisely kept in that direction, with the result that she shared the same popularity which the English people extended to Sims Reeves, the favorite tenor balladist. It was enough to insure the success of a new song to have it sung by Madam Sterling, and success in London means heavy royalties to singer as well as composer. (Text.)--Chicago _Tribune_.

Bottom, Beginning At The

Theodore Roosevelt Jr. began at the bottom to learn business, showing humility and diligence.

It was in the pursuit of a mission that Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., went to Thompsonville. He might have found a more showy position, for he had name and influence. He might have found plenty of things to do that would at the start have brought him more money. For that matter, he had enough of his own so that he need not bother with work; and had he been like some young men, he would never have been seen in overalls or any other uniform of the toiler. But he went to the carpet mill, and he did what he was told. He began at the bottom. He has worked hard. And now we may understand what he did it for. Announcement is made that he is to go West as manager of one of the Hartford Carpet Company’s Western houses. It is for a purpose that he has been learning the business in all its details. He could not manage without that knowledge.

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It is an old lesson, but never was there an instance better showing it than does this of the son of the former President. If he could afford to begin at the bottom, others can. If he must, others must. If with his brains and education he needed to do that, nearly any young man does. If his prospective position is the reward of that sort of sacrifice, it is a sacrifice that any young man can afford to make.--New Haven _Register_.

Organizing For Work

Organized effort and discipline produce effective character and results.

The difference between a locomotive engine and a pile of scrap-iron is that the one is organized and the other is not. In the case of the engine machinery, side arms, driving-wheels and whistle--all have their place and part. So have driver and stoker. And it is the organized power and effort that bring results.

Many men have enough good moral material for a fine character, but have not yet put it in effective order, and so can not bring it to bear. (Text.)