The Profit of Our Labor

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.

Life is hard work. We toil and we toil to scratch out a living on this Earth, but Solomon, one of the wisest men in the Bible, once asked a good question about that.

He said,” What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? (Ecclesiastes 3:9)

What’s the profit of our labors? Solomon goes on to say he saw all the work God gives us to do, and he also saw that in God’s time He makes all things beautiful. Solomon makes the point that our labors will always be unprofitable if human outcomes are the chief goal. Our labor must have a higher purpose than that. If we labor for human satisfaction our work is a work of futility, but if we labor with eternity in mind then the glory of God becomes the goal, and our labor becomes profitable.

The major theme for the book of Ecclesiastes is that satisfaction can only be found in God. Yet, people don’t understand the work God is doing. If we’ll just accept that everything is a gift from God, then we will find satisfaction in our labor. We can rejoice; we can do good; we can eat and drink and enjoy the good of our labor because we know the work we’ve been given to do is a gift from God.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Children

Matthew 19:13-14 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put Hishands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

Children seem to come to mind at this time of year as school starts back for many. Having been a public-school teacher for 31 years, I know the stress of “Back to School.” But in this current age I also understand the concerns. Parents have greater reason to be apprehensive about sending their kids back to school than ever before. There is concern for children’s physical safety, concern for their emotional safety, and concern for their moral safety.

Jesus understands that concern. He loves children. We know that from reading about His interactions with children in Scripture. Even as He was being led to the cross, He told the women of Jerusalem to weep for themselves and their children (Luke 23:28). He said it is not the will of the Father in Heaven that any of these little ones should perish (Matthew 18:14), and He also said it would be better for a person to have a millstone tied around their neck and thrown in the river than to harm a little one.

As with all things, Jesus is our example. We need to have that same concern for children and that same attitude toward those who would harm them in any way. As Christians we have a responsibility to pray for all the children who are going back to school, as well as their teachers, and the staff that work with them. From the preschools to the colleges let’s lift up all the schools in prayer this weekbecause, “Jesus loves the little children, all the little children of the world.”

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Prayer

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God…

When asked, most Christians will tell you one area they want to grow in spiritually is prayer. Prayer is an important part of our Christian walk, but we seldom feel our prayer life is adequate. Prayer is an area we should desire to excel in, and our desire to excel in prayer is evidence we are maturing in our faith.

Some Christians do not understand that. They would say prayer is simply a casual conversation with God and anybody can do that well. They would tell you all you have to do is talk to God the way you would a close friend or family member. Unfortunately, that way of thinking shows a low degree of spiritual maturity because prayer is much more than a casual conversation with God.

Think about it. You can have a casual conversation with anyone; a friend, a neighbor, a coworker, a family member…, but in New Testament terms prayer is exclusively for God and God alone and that makes it special. The Greek word that is translated “prayer” in our Bible is “proseuchē,” and that word indicates that prayer is a part of our worship of God. Prayer is meant to be reverent and God honoring. Prayer is not a casual conversation. True prayer comes from the deepest part of our heart and soul. It reaches out to God to make requests, requests that God will meet the needs of others and ourselves, and when God answers our prayers, we should follow up with more prayers of thanksgiving. When we pray from a pure heart with holy hands lifted, God hears, and when God hears, God answers. Sometimes the answer is “yes” and sometimes it is “no.” Either way God answers prayers for our good and His glory.

So when you pray, remember you are participating in an act of worship. Honor God in your prayers; give Him glory and praise in your prayers. Make your requests known to God, and no matter how He answers, pray prayers of thanksgiving.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Redeem the Time

Ephesians 5:15-17 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Now that you know you are saved, what should you do with the time you have on Earth before you move on to glory in Heaven? Scripture says you should be careful with how you use this time; you should redeem it wisely because the days we live in are evil.

The word “redeem” is a financial term, a buying term, a spending term. Like money, time is limited. You only have so much of it to spend. So, now that you belong to Christ, what are you going to spend your time doing? What are you going to buy with the time you have been given? Paul, the writer of Ephesians, says you must live circumspectly, meaning you must live cautiously, carefully. Do not foolishly waste your time; be wise in how you use it. It is easy for the follower of Christ to foolishly waste time on temporary things that have no eternal value. Even worse, it is possible that a believer might foolishly squander their time on things the Bible calls evil.

So how do you know what to do with your time? How do you avoid being unwise? Paul says, “understand what is the will of God.” Now you read that and think, “Does Paul think I can read God’s mind? How can I know the will of God?” No, Paul knows you cannot read God’s mind, but he knows God has revealed His will to you in His Word, the Bible. Not only should you know the will of God through the Scriptures, you need to understand what you read through Biblical training in the Church. In that way you will be able to redeem your time wisely.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Signs

Matthew 16:1-3 1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; 3 and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

Signs are important. They show us which way to go and they protect us from dangerous situations. I remember a time when Beverly and I were heading for home after one of our day trips out on the road. Beverly asked me if I was sure I was going the right direction, and I assured her I was until we passed a sign that said “Now Entering Alabama.” Had it not been for that sign I would have driven all the way to Birmingham before realizing I was going the wrong way, but the sign made it obvious. I was going South when I should have been going North.

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day asked Him for a sign proving He was sent by God. Jesus had already healed many people. He had fed thousands with just a few loaves and fish. He had cast out demons, calmed storms, and walked on water; yet the Pharisees and Sadducees asked for a sign. Jesus was exasperated. He answered them by basically saying, “You guys are smart enough to look at the sky and tell what the weather will do but you aren’t intelligent enough to see that I’m the promised Savior you’ve been waiting for.”

Many people today are still missing those signs. They are headed down a wide road leading to a broad gate when all the signs are pointing to a steep little path leading to a narrow gate. They are looking for a place of peace but headed for destruction. Do not miss the signs. Jesus is giving you good directions today. He says, “Follow Me.”

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Faith and Love

2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

Some things just go together; a spring day and flowers, ice-cream and cookies, popcorn and a movie…

Two words that often go together in the Bible are faith and love. Those two words appear in the same New Testament verse at least twenty-six times. The two are almost inseparable, and that is as it should be. You see, faith and love are dependent upon each other. It is impossible to know true faith without love, and it is impossible to know real love without faith.

When God sent His only begotten Son to die for us as a payment for our sins it was an act of love, but God’s loving act only applies to those who have faith. (John 3:16-18) It was God’s love that provided the object of our faith—Jesus—and it is our love for Jesus that drives our faith. The spiritually poor of this world are made rich by their faith in Jesus, and they will inherit the Kingdom of God. He promised that to those who love Him. (James 2:5) When you have true saving faith in Jesus, nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. (Romans 8:35-39) Faith works through love (Galatians 5:6) Faith is grounded in love (Ephesians 3:17), and faith and love are important parts of our Spiritual Armor. (1 Thessalonians 5:8) If we wear one without the other, we are left venerable to the attacks of the enemy.

So, hold fast to the scriptural pattern of faith and love. Yes, some things just go together; salt and pepper, peanut-butter and jelly, Batman and Robin… but for Christians the most dynamic duo is found in faith and love.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

The Law

1 Timothy 1:8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully…

No one is saved by obedience to God’s law because no one can obey God’s law perfectly. Scripture says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). So, the primary purpose of God’s law is to teach us how sinful we are and direct us to saving faith in Jesus Christ as our only means of justification. No one is justified by works of the Law, we are justified by faith because of God’s grace (Galatians 2:16). But all that leads to another question. What about civil law? What about the law of the land? Are the laws of our nation somehow connected to the law of God?

They should be.

I ran across an interesting quote a few days ago by a pastor named Erwin Lutzer. He said, “Either God is the lawgiver or man is. Either God is supreme, or the state is.” His point being that our civil laws must reflect God’s law; if they do not, then man has placed himself above God, and if people within a nation place themselves above God, God will not bless that nation.

Here in the United States our civil laws do not reflect God’s law, and that is devastating for our nation. God’s law says do not murder, yet in many of our states the law allows for the murder of unborn children. God’s law says marriage is a union between one man and one woman, but our law says men can marry men and women can marry women. God’s law says do not steal, but in many of our cities looting stores has become justifiable for certain people under certain conditions without consequence. The list of ungodly laws in this country goes on and on… But understand this; just because our government or our courts make something legal that does not make it moral. Scripture says, there is one Lawgiver (James 4:12), and when people make laws that contradict the Lawgiver, they are proclaiming themselves to be gods, and that is evil. Our civil laws must reflect God’s law because He is the only Lawgiver, and when our law reflects the Lawgiver, He will bless our nation.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Family Connections

Ephesians 3:14-19 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

This past week one of our brothers in Christ went home to be with the Lord. As I thought about him, I was reminded of the word “family.” It is a good word. We, the church, are the family of God. Paul reminds us here that all who believe, both on Earth and in Heaven, are a part of that family, so even when one of our brothers or sisters dies the family connection is not broken.

Just like all families the members of the family of God have a lot in common. We are constantly strengthened by the Spirit of Christ in the inner man. Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. Being rooted and grounded in love, we understand the massive size of Jesus’ love for us. We are filled with the fullness of God. Like most families, the family of God gathers in a house. Our household gathers in the church which was built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets with Christ being the chief cornerstone.

This Sunday and for many Sundays to come there will be an empty seat in our house, but even though our dear brother has left us, we still have a family connection.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Hypocritical Love

Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

“Love.” It is one of the most wonderful and one of the most misunderstood words in the English language. Love is great, but it can also be filled with hypocrisy. The world defines love as acceptance, tolerance, and inclusion of what scripture calls evil. James tells us that kind of wisdom does not come down from God. It is earthly, sensual, even demonic. (James 3:15)

In the book of Romans Paul says, “Let love be without hypocrisy, and then he immediately tells us how to do that. First, we must abhor what is evil. The word “abhor” is an extraordinarily strong word in both English and the original Greek language of the New Testament, but in both languages, it means to utterly detest—to hate. We are to hate what the Bible determines to be evil. Without that kind of hatred genuine love is impossible.

On the other hand, love without hypocrisy demands that we cling to what the Bible determines is good. The Greek word translated as “cling” literally means glue. We are to be glued to what is good. No one can express genuine love unless they are glued to what the Bible says is good.

Make sure you understand this truth. Love requires hatred of evil and a desire to stick to what is good, and the Word of God is the only standard for determining what is evil and what is good. The world wants to define good and evil on its own terms, and in doing so, it calls good evil and evil good. The result of that kind of sensual logic is a form of hypocritical love that is not love at all, but true Christians are to love without that kind of hypocrisy, and that kind of love is genuine love.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

The Rock

Matthew 7:24-25 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

It seems I can never do any digging around my home, garden, or yard without hitting a rock. My grandfather used to say, “There aren’t very many rocks in this part of the country; it’s all one great big one.” Oh, how I wish that were spiritually true—that this whole country rested upon the spiritual Rock that is Jesus Christ.

Jesus once told an often-misunderstood parable where He compared a house built on the rock to a house built on the sand. In that parable Jesus tells us wise people build their lives on the rock of obedience. Those who hear Jesus’ sayings and do them are wise and when the storms of life come, they will still stand. Foolish people live lives of disobedience. They hear Jesus’ sayings, but they don’t do them, and that’s like building a house on the sand. When the storms come, it falls.

Then there was a time when Jesus asked His disciples who He was. Peter boldly said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Peter showed great faith, and Jesus told Peter it was on the rock of faith in Him that He would build His Church.

Jesus is the Rock the Hebrew children drank from as He followed them in the wilderness. (1 Corinthians 10:4) Jesus is a chief cornerstone, elect, and precious. Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame. (1 Peter 2:6) He is the stone the builders rejected, the stone of stumbling, the rock of offense. Those who are disobedient will stumble over Him and be crushed, but those who believe have obtained mercy.

I hope we can all sing, “On Christ the solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand,” and mean it.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie