Tuesday 2/24/15 Working (3)

Dear Father in Heaven: I love You. Thanks for forgiving me of my sins and taking us through this very cold day. Lord Jesus, please place Your hand of protection around all those who Satan is trying to attack. I see it going on around the world and right in our own backyards. I confess to You, Lord, that I do not understand it all, and I am so happy You are in charge. Help us to learn to cast our burdens to You and not take them back. Please comfort those who are hurting today, be it physical or mental or so many other ways. Please protect our leaders in  Washington and in our State Capitals across these great United States. Please have Your hand upon veterans, active military, police, and firefighters. As I look across the nation and even the world, help me and all of us to count our blessings and help us know that regardless how badly we think we have it, out there in the cold there are so many others who are a lot worse off than us, than me, dear Lord. Please watch over this line, help me with the daily message and to get it dispatched. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Brothers and sisters, it was a beautiful day here at the Southern Location of the North Pole, although cold, with a record low of -4. I am thankful that we have heat in our house. I have been blessed all my life by living places where the potty is indoors. I know some even on this line had the potty outside. I don't even want to think about sitting in that old outhouse at temperatures we have had this year. I watched on the news the other day as firefighters tried to fight fire with ice all over them. Maybe this is a really good time to remember just how blessed we really are. Okay, it is getting late and I do want to get this message out. This will be the last day for Working, and the good Lord has already given me the next subject. I have written on it before, but time to do a remake or start over. What is the subject? The Lord's Prayer. Today I went to pray the Lord's Prayer and could not remember it. So if I can't remember the words, how can I remember what it means? Lord's Prayer, coming tomorrow, unless the Lord changes the subject for me. I try and listen to what He wants me to do as I want to be obedient to Him. Okay, off to Work on Working.

Tuesday: February 24, 2015: Working (Day Three)

Luke 10:5 - "When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the WORKER deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house." (NIV)

Today we look at the Words of our Lord Jesus as He was sending out His disciples. It would be good to read Luke Chapter 10  to help you understand this better. Jesus is telling His workers what to do. When they enter a house they are to give the people a blessing, "Peace to this house." So as you stop by a friend's house you might say t those who you are going to see, God's blessings and Peace to all those in our house. What might they think of you? Do you really care? You are giving God's blessings to them. They can accept that blessing or turn it away, just like they have a choice to pick up the Gift of Salvation that we have talked about. If the people in the house do not accept that blessing, you will get it back, and you have it to share again and again.

Now this might not just be a house, it could be a workplace or any other place today where you want to give God's blessings. Now let's look at verse 7, "Stay in that house eating and drinking whatever they give you." What you are receiving is your wages for Jesus tells us the WORKER DESERVES HIS WAGES. But at the same time, we are told not to move around. An example might be that someone comes to your house for dinner, and when they arrive you ask them, what are you serving for dinner? You tell them, we are making hot dogs on the grill. Then they get to thinking, I can leave here and go to Joe and Mary's house, maybe they are serving something better than hot dogs. So you make up an excuse and leave. Jesus warns us against that. We should be happy with what is put before us. We are  not to be running about looking for something different, we are to stay there. Well, that is not always easy, but no place in our Bible does it tell us that when we really follow Jesus it will be easy. No, all too often when You follow that Word of Christ and you become "Born Again" Satan will come after you even harder. Next scripture.

Colossians 3:22 - Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. (NIV)

I invite you to read Colossians 3:18 to the end of chapter 3. These are the rules for a Christian household. We in America do not have slaves anymore. Praise God for that and for President Lincoln. But we still must work, and I have heard the term and I am sure you have - "This guy is a slave driver." What is the Bible telling us here? The way God is giving it to me is this. In all things we do today, be it around our homes where we do not get paid money or out in the work force someplace, work everyday as if you are doing what you do for the Lord. Please remember that the bottom line is we are indeed working to serve the Lord. I know a lot of places where as soon as the boss leaves, some of the work stops, while others keep right on working. Which one fits you? I know this because I owned my own business and also was a supervisor for others. When the "cat's away the mouse will play." We who are Born Again work for the Lord. It makes us different in so many ways from other workers, some of whom even say they know the Lord.

Although we need a good wage here on earth, what as Christians are we really working for? To show our love for Jesus and for the rewards we get once we get to heaven. Remember we cannot work our way into heaven but once we are in, those rewards we will get, well, let me put it this way. "They will be heavenly."

One last scripture, and I will keep it short.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 - For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule. "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." (NIV)

For all of you who go to work each day, enjoy your food. For those of you who are able-bodied and just will not go to work, the Bible tells you you should not eat. Today so many people need help because they are poor and we need to help those who just cannot make it, but who are really trying. We also need to help those who CANNOT WORK. But we do have a whole class of people who just will not go to work and the more our government hands out food, the more people will not go to work.

Bottom line, go to work each day with Jesus helping you, some days will go better than others, but remember we are God-fearing Christians who work for the King, the King of all Kings, The Lord Jesus. "Go get one for God."

Time to ask you if you really know Jesus in your heart. If you don't, will this be the day? Will you pray with me this prayer of Salvation?

Dear Father in Heaven: I love You. Please come into my heart today. I confess I am a sinner and believe in Your forgiving grace. I do believe you died on the cross and were risen from the dead. Please place my name in the Lamb's Book of Life. I want to be Born Again right now. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Now go forth sharing your blessings, working for Jesus, and know that He really loves you. I love ya also. Please share our love with others.

Pastor Dan