April 1, 2013

The Application of Wisdom: Work

Notes on Proverbs

When we consider the subject of work, Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes provide a fitting starting point: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Our time here on earth is limited. Therefore, we must work hard in the time that we have. Once our lives here are over, there will be no opportunity to do what we ought to have done during our time under the sun. So the wise man spends a good deal of time in the book of Proverbs discussing the important topic of work.
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January 10, 2013

The Example of Earl West

When I was in college, I took a class on Restoration History. We had to buy two textbooks for the class – The Search for the Ancient Order, Volumes 1 & 2 by Earl Irvin West. Naturally, the course focused on the history, not the man who wrote the books. So initially I did not pay much attention to the author.

However, I stumbled across something interesting recently about Earl West. In June 1951, West was introduced as the new book reviewer for the Gospel Guardian. Notice a portion of his introduction:
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December 17, 2012

To Live on in the Flesh Will Mean Fruitful Labor (12/17)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Philippians 1-4.

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose” (Philippians 1:21-22).

Paul was confident in his hope of a home in heaven. This confidence was not based upon the belief that since he had been saved at one time, he would always be saved. Though many believe this today (“once saved, always saved”), Paul did not. He knew that if he quit serving the Lord, he would forfeit his salvation (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Paul’s hope was based upon the Lord’s promise to the faithful. Later, toward the end of his life, he would tell Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Paul could expect to receive his reward because he had fought, finished, and kept the faith.
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November 8, 2012

“Each According to His Own Ability” (11/8)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Matthew 25.

In the parable of the talents, Jesus’ teaching reminds us of the need for each one of us to do what we are capable of doing.

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called how own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his ability; and he went on his journey” (Matthew 25:14-15).

The “talents” were amounts of money that the master entrusted to his three slaves to manage while he was away. They were not each given the same amount. Each received what the master expected him to be able to manage. When he returned later, they were held accountable for how they managed what they received.
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October 23, 2012

Are You Redeeming the Time?

[The following was slightly adapted from a sermon outline by A.W. Dicus entitled, ‘Christian Economics.’]

WatchesEach week contains 10,080 minutes. What do people do with their time?

The time spent by a fairly active church member on spiritual activities:

  • Attends on Sunday, three hours = 180 minutes
  • Attends on Wednesday night = 60 minutes
  • Reads the Bible two hours = 120 minutes
  • Prays 15 minutes daily = 105 minutes
  • Visits the sick, three hours = 180 minutes
  • Total time for the Lord = 645 minutes

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September 27, 2012

"I Am Doing a Great Work and I Cannot Come Down" (9/27)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Nehemiah 6-7.

As the walls of Jerusalem were nearing completion, the enemies of the Israelites made an effort to pull Nehemiah away and disrupt the work.

“Then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me [Nehemiah], saying, ‘Come, let us meet together at Cherphirim in the plain of Ono.’ But they were planning to harm me. So I sent messengers to them, saying, ‘I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?’” (Nehemiah 6:2-3).

Though these men invited him, Nehemiah refused to come. Even when they spread false rumors about him and threatened to report him to the king, he refused to abandon the work (Nehemiah 6:5-9). There are two important lessons that we can learn from Nehemiah:
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September 13, 2012

Why the Righteous Do Not Beg

Workers

The psalmist had an interesting observation regarding the state of the righteous and how they were blessed by God.

“I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread” (Psalm 37:25).

This is not to be interpreted as an absolute statement. There may be times when godly people are in such dire straits that they have no other option than to beg. Lazarus was one example of this. We know he was righteous because when he died he was “carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” to enjoy a place of paradise (Luke 16:22). Yet during life, he was “a poor man…covered with sores” who longed “to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table” (Luke 16:20-21). After he died, because he was righteous, he was “comforted” in a place of paradise (Luke 16:25).

Although there are exceptions, generally speaking, those who are righteous will be far less likely to have to beg than others. Even now when God no longer operates miraculously as He did during Bible times, the psalmist’s statement is generally true. Why is that? There are several reasons we can find in the Scriptures that explain why the righteous, in general, do not beg.
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