Grace-Enabled Diligence

22 Jul Grace-Enabled Diligence

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Pastor Vincent - 21 May 2015

Believing And Forsaking

What gives you the ongoing stamina in this Christian race? Everyone wants to feel useful, be recognised and thrive in the world. When Christians do not follow the current of the world, we often feel the pressure of being “different”, or unfitting, so much so that it brews doubt in us about the practicality and worthiness of this Christian race we’re running in. Paradoxically, the world often seems so beautiful, believable and enjoyable before God destroys it. But through the stories between Abraham and Lot, God has a message for His people - don’t be afraid to jeopardize your worldly joy when you choose to set apart for God, because when you hold onto the promise of God by faith alone, your God who chose and gave you the promise will also sanctify and glorify you. We often find ourselves a partial Lot who lives by sight, but desiring to be Abraham who lives by faith. This is because we do not believe that God’s promise is more real and more beautiful than what we’re holding on, or our conditions just inhibit us to believe that God will truly make us the heir of the world, just as He told Abraham. Abraham wanted a son, but God gave him The Son. When he parted ways with Lot who was then the only hope he had, God revealed to him and strengthened him with His promise again when he had no hope in his earthly conditions, God was all he had. When we are encouraged by God’s promise alone, the faith we have will also lead us to infinite possibilities of God’s work in our life. Let’s receive a covenanted reason and direction in this Christian race today, God delights in us witnessing the trueness of His promise 🙂 — “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!” - Mark 9:24

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Grace and Grace-enabled hard work

  • <1 Cor 15:10>: But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
  • Grace has effect >>> work hard
  • Grace and hard work not mutually exclusive.

<2 Th 3> 6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 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. 

9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 

12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.

 

Man is not created to be idle, but with a purpose.

  • PURPOSE.
  • “Idle men tempt the devil to tempt them.” – Charles Spurgeon
  • “An idle mind is the devil’s playground.”

 

However, the Fall distorts our purpose and ways of working hard.

  • Sloth, and an attitude of reaping without sowing.
  • No desire to improve, or learn.
  • Easily discouraged and give up.
  • Habits that lack self-discipline.
  • Burn out easily when not relying on God.
  • Toil for the wrong motivations.
  • Busy till drift from God.

 

We need healing in our labor/no labor.

  • See the meaning to our hard work.
  • Working hard is Christian virtue.
  • Enjoy the process of working hard.
  • In the end, God is looking not at the outcomes of our hard work, but at how faithful we are in using His gracious gifts.

<1 Cor 15:10>: But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

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Preacher Hui Jun
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Huijun serves as Secretary of The Blessed RUN Ministries. She is also the Preacher at The Life Church and Missions (Singapore). She graduated from Singapore Bible College and currently lives in Singapore with her husband, Chengji.

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