IN WHAT AREAS DOES GOD WANT US TO WORK?

The Word of God tells us that we are to work hard and put our whole heart and soul into everything we do - "whatsoever thy hand finds to do." However, there are some specific areas that are mentioned in the Bible so we will look at each one.

1. OUR CHRISTIAN  WALK.

Philippians 2:12, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

Through the atoning death of Jesus on the cross and His shed blood, He has wrought salvation for us, but we must cooperate with the Holy Spirit for
this salvation to be worked out from within us to our very extremities and into our daily life. Colossians 1:29; 2 Peter 1:5-12; 3:14.

2. IN THE HOME AS MOTHERS.

When we look at the picture of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31, we see that much of her virtue is working hard and being physically strong. I think
you will be amazed to notice that nearly every Scripture is related to hard work! Let's have a look:

v. 13 "She seeks wool and flax, and works willingly with her hands." Hard work!

v.14 "She is like the merchants' ships; she brings her food from afar." And she didn't have a car. She most probably had to walk, and in the burning hot sun too.

v.15 "She rises also while it is yet night, and gives food to her household, and a portion to her maidens." Her household would have been filled with many people - a large family, servants and extended family. Managing meals was a big task.

v.16 "She considers a field and buys it." She most probably had to do a lot of walking to check out fields before she purchased too.

v.16 "With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard." More hard work!

v.17 "She girds her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms." It doesn't sound as though there is a lazy bone in her body!

v.18 "Her candle goes not out by night." Help! When does she sleep?

v.19 "She lays her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff." Busy fingers!

v.20 "She stretches out her hand to the poor; yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy." She is not only busy in her own home, making sure that there is enough food planted, harvested and stored for her whole family, but she also takes time to minister to others outside her home too.

v.21 "She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She makes herself coverings of tapestry." Did she have an electric sewing machine? No, even her fingers worked hard sewing.

v.22 "She makes fine linen, and sells it; and delivers girdles unto the merchant." Besides clothing her own family, she also sews extra garments to sell to bring in finance for her family.

v.27 "She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness."  Hard work is her lifestyle.

We see another picture of a hard-working woman in 1 Timothy 5:10. She not only cared for her own children but continually ministered to the needs of
others. "One who has a reputation for good works and has reared children, has practiced hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has relieved the afflicted, and has been devoted to all kinds of good works."

A third well-known passage to women is Titus 2:3-5 where the older women are exhorted to teach the young women. One of the things they are to teach the young women is to be "workers at home." The word in the Greek is 'oikourogo'which comes from two words:

'oikos' - home
'ergon' - to work

Therefore it means to 'work at home'. We are not to be idle, but to work in our homes.

3. IN THE HOME AS FATHERS.

1 Timothy 5:8, "If any provide not for his own and especially for those ofhis own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."

Ecclesiastes 10:18 MLB, "Through continual neglect the ceiling sinks, and because of slack hands the house leaks."

4. EMPLOYMENT.

(a) THE PROVIDER OF THE HOME SHOULD WORK HARD TO PROVIDE ADEQUATELY FOR HIS FAMILY.

Romans 12:11, "Not slothful in business."

1 Thessalonians 4:11 GNB, "Make it your aim to live a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to earn your own living. In this way you will win the respect of those who are not believers, and you will not have to depend on anyone for what you need."

2 Thessalonians 3:10-12, "While we were with you, we used to tell you, "Whoever refuses to work is not allowed to eat. We say this because we hear that there are some people among you who live lazy lives and who do nothing except meddle in other people's business. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we command these people and warn them to lead orderly lives and to work to earn their own living."

(b) EMPLOYMENT IS NOT ONLY FOR OUR OWN PROVISION BUT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE TO OTHERS.

Ephesians 4:28, "Let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."

(c) EMPLOYEES SHOULD WORK SO DILIGENTLY THAT THEIR EMPLOYER PROSPERS BECAUSE OF THEM. Here are two examples:

JACOB. Genesis 30:27-30, "And Laban said unto him.. I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake."

JOSEPH. Genesis 39:1-6, "From the time he made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake."

Titus 2:9 Beck, "Obey your masters in everything, please them, and don't talk back. Don't steal but show you can be trusted in every way so that in everything you show the beauty of the teaching of God, who saves us."

5. STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD.

2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman thatneedeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

1 Timothy 5:17, "Especially those who labor in the word and doctrine."

6. PRAYER.

Colossians 4:12, "Always laboring fervently for you in prayers."

7. THE WORK OF THE LORD.

To be involved in God's work actually means 'work'.

Matthew 9:37, 38, "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest."

Acts 13:2, "the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." Acts 14:26

Ephesians 4:12, "the work of the ministry."

1 Timothy 3:1, "If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work."

2 Timothy 4:5, "do the work of an evangelist." 1 Thessalonians 5:12,13.

Let's look at Paul's example in working for the Lord.

1 Corinthians 4:11-13 TMB "We toil to exhaustion with our own hands."

1 Corinthians 15:10, "I labored more abundantly." TMB says, "I worked harder than any of them."

2 Corinthians 6:3-10, "As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way.in hard work."

2 Corinthians 11:23-30, "in labors more abundant."

1 Thessalonians 2:7-9, "For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail; for laboring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you." (2 Corinthians 5:9; Galatians 4:11; 1 Thessalonians 3:5)

Here's a few others too, who I haven't previously mentioned.

PHOEBE - "she has been a helper of many including myself." Romans 16:1,2

MARY - "who bestowed much labor on us." Romans 16:6

URBANE - "our helper in Christ." Romans 16:9

TRYPHENA AND TRYPHOSA - "who labor in the lord." Romans 16:12

PERSIS - "Who labored much in the Lord." Romans 16:12

TIMOTHY - "He is devotedly doing the Lord's work, just as I am." 1 Cor 16:10 AMP

EPAPHRAS - "He has labored hard on your behalf." Colossians 4:12

STEPHANAS FAMILY - "they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.that ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboreth."

DORCAS - "this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did." Acts 9:36-43.

8. GOOD WORKS.

Look up the following scriptures that tell us that God wants us to be doing good works.

Matthew 5:16; 26:10 (Mark 14:6); Matthew 25:14-46; Mark 13:34-37; John
10:32; Romans 2:6; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15; 1 Timothy 2:10; 2 Timothy 3:17;
Titus 2:12-14; 3:1; Titus 3:8; 3:14; Hebrews 10:24; 13:21; 1 Peter 2:12.

THE REWARDS OF DILIGENCE
Look up these scriptures:

2 Chronicles 15:7; Jeremiah 31:16; Psalm 126:5,6; Proverbs 6:6; 10:5a;
10:4b; 12:11a (28:19a; 20:13); 12:24a; 13:4b; 13:11b; 22:29; Ecclesiastes
5:12; 1 Corinthians 3:8; 15:58; 1 Thessalonians 5:12,13 (1 Corinthians
16:15,16; 1 Timothy 5:17)

THE CONSEQUENCES OF LAZINESS

Proverbs 10:4a (24:30-34); 10:5b; 10:26; 12:24b; 13:4a; 15:19; 18:9; 19:15;
21:25; 22:3; 23:21b; Ecclesiastes 10:18.

Prepared by Nancy Campbell, Above Rubies, PO Box 681687, Franklin, TN 37068
Phone: (931) 729 9861
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

This information can also be found in the manual, THE POWER OF MOTHERHOOD.
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What God says about Motherhood in the Word of God

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