| |
|
November 23 - Evening
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
- Colossians 3:23-24 |
 |
|
Daily Work and Secular Employment Done for the Lord and Rewarded by the Lord |
|
|
Although the writer of Colossians 3:23-24 was an apostle, he was also a man familiar with daily labor. Paul knew what it was like to work for an employer for a daily wage. The most mundane, secular job is recognized as being worthy of a believer’s best effort and worthy of the Lord’s best commendation and reward in eternity. The believer is told to “work at it with all your heart,” because “you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.”
Whatever job, career or calling a man has on earth he has the assurance of Paul’s words, which ae backed up by Paul’s own experience and example, that, “It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
It is not only men in ministry, or professional pastors, who have careers that honor the Lord and can say at the end of the day, “I have done the Lord’s work.” But, each man is called to work, to supply his own needs and to demonstrate the character of God through his daily labor.
Paul says to the Thessalonians that he and his ministry team worked to provide their own needs
and, also, to set an example for the Thessalonians:
“For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food, without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you…We did this…in order to make ourselves an model for you to follow.”
– 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9
And, to the elders of the church in Ephesus he says:
“You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ “ – Acts 20:34-35
|
|
 |
"If you will not have
death unto sin,
you shall have
sin unto death.
There is no alternative.
If you do not die to sin,
you shall die for sin.
If you do not slay sin,
sin will slay you."
- C.H. Spurgeon |
 |
Western society in America
has rushed into a paradox.
The majority consider religion to be important, yet a large portion of that majority rejects the concept of absolutes.
This instability can only become balanced if each person's individual convictions become their own personal form of religion. If you can understand how this social paradox is balancing itself out, you may be able to understand our generation and anticipate the illogical events we are about to see.
This is why exegetical Bible teaching of the written text is the sword that will divide
those who want to continue
to play the part of the "seekers" in church and
those who have decided
they want to "hear, understand and mature" in church. |
|
| |
 |
|
 |
Eilikrines (Gr) - Sincere (Eng) - eilikrines is Greek word that means "pure," "sincere," "unsullied," "found pure when unfolded and examined by the sun's light," "free from spot or blemish when sxamined in the full splendor of the sun." It is used twice in scripture:
Philippians 1:10, "So that you may be able to discern what is best and
may be pure (eilikrines) and blameless for the day of Christ."
2 Peter
3:1, "Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome (eilikrines) thinking." |
|
Pontius Pilate's existence is well documented (see here). Coins minted by Pontius Pilate (see here) from 29-31 AD are still available in the coin market today.
(See here and here). |
| |
|
|
 |
|
 |
Do I consider my secular employment to be less spiritual than a career in ministry?
Do I think I am missing out on God's will or the Lord's rewards because I have a job?
I will consider every part of my career, my job and my employment as service to the Lord
and as an opportunity manifest the spiritual maturity and
the fruit of godly character, diligence and wisdom. |
|
"So that your trust may be
in the Lord, I teach you today, even you.
Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge, teaching you true and
reliable words, so that
you can give sound answers to him who sent you?"
Proverbs 22:19-21 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Children’s education |
Influence on community |
ACLU
(Click on World
or Nation headings
for more details) |
Turkey |
|
|
| |
 |
 |
 |
(click on image for larger size)
Warren’s Shaft was discovered in 1867 by Charles Warren. The shaft has a rock-hewn opening with steps descending into a horizontal tunnel that runs for about135 feet to a
depth of about 42 feet. The tunnel ends at the top of a vertical shaft that goes straight down into the Gihon Springs about 40 feet below. This 40 foot vertical shaft was used
to draw or pump water up the shaft where it could be collected by people who had descended down the
stairs and though the 135 foot horizontal tunnel. |
|
Jerusalem's southeast corner just outside the Temple Mount. This photo
is looking up from the Kidron Valley. To the left the Ophel declines into the City of David. The scarred Herodian ashlar stones (that served as the back
wall of the shops along this side of the Temple Mount) burnt from the Roman fire of 70 Ad can be seen in the lowest visible courses just behind the low middle of the green bush in the front of the photo.
(see detailed photo here and here and here.)
(click on image for larger size) |
A hydrogeological survey of this water system revealed
that both the vertical shaft and the horizontal tunnel
were natural openings that were adapted and cut wider
by ancient city planners.
This is the water shaft used by David and his men to enter
and attack Jerusalem when it was occupied by the
Jebusites in 2 Samuel 5:8:
“And David said on that day,
‘Whoever would strike the Jebusites,
let him get up the water shaft to attack.’ "
The water from the Gihon Springs followed a natural tunnel to the base of the shaft discovered by Warren. This shaft was developed from a natural sinkhole that extended down to the natural tunnel of water from the Gihon Springs. City planners widened the sinkhole and developed a tunnel to reach it from the upper ground level of the city from within the city’s walls. Warren’s Shaft functioned like a well. A person at the top of the shaft in the inclined tunnel could lower a bucket on
a rope to the bottom of the 40 foot shaft to get fresh water from the reservoir below. A person could reach this inclined tunnel by entering a vaulted chamber from the ground level, walking down a steep, stepped tunnel, then using a ladder to descend a nine-foot scarp drop to arrive in the inclined tunnel.
The entrance to this water system was within the city walls, while the Gihon Springs were outside the walls. Joab could have entered the city through Warren's Shaft, or he may have used the natural tunnel before it was blocked, to access the inclined plane and ascend into the city. |
| |
|
| Details and Explanation of Sets & Reps Devotional System Here |
 |
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| Reps & Sets is a daily Bible devotional for Christians from Generation Word Bible Teaching used each morning and evening. |
| |
| |
|
