Grace-Enabled Diligence

22 Jul Grace-Enabled Diligence

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Pastor Vincent - 9 January 2014

Right Before God, Unity With Brethren

What is delightful in God's eyes is always a sore in Satan's eyes. How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1 NIV). While God loves His children to live in harmony and grow in love towards one another, Satan hates it to the core and tries to stop. As a result, misunderstandings, distrust, suspicions and Pharisaical issues arise even within churches. While it is a difficult battle to fight, for evil and cunning is the thief who works through all ways to steal away the peace and joy of children of God. But to children of God, He always provides a way out. When things get messy and out of hands, look to Him and seek Him carefully. Continue to dwell in His word, meditate and confirm it repeatedly until it becomes the unshakeable anchor point in your life. When you look to the Word with a believing heart, the Word gives you a God-revering spirit, a spirit that is fertile to the guidance of Holy Spirit. Learn from Phinehas confrontation and defense of the Eastern Tribe in Joshua 22. When we want to be right before God first, the leading of Holy Spirit will do His work in uniting the brethren's in love and grace, leaving no foothold for Satan.

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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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