A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Daily
Encouragement on
Friday, January 4,
2019
Yesterday
we ate breakfast at Cracker Barrel and we sure enjoyed
warming ourselves by the big fireplace with the
occasional crackle from the searing logs!
"Living
Our Lives Responsibly"
Message
summary: May
God help us this New
Year to live our lives
responsibly, for people
are watching our lives!
I am reminded of that
when I think of the old
saying, "More is caught
than is taught."
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living" (2 Thessalonians 3:11,12).
Yesterday I visited with Ken, a man who has demonstrated an overcoming attitude in living his life responsibly, in spite of a very hard start. He gives permission to share his story.
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living" (2 Thessalonians 3:11,12).
Yesterday I visited with Ken, a man who has demonstrated an overcoming attitude in living his life responsibly, in spite of a very hard start. He gives permission to share his story.
Ken
Rinier
When he was only sixteen Ken came home to find the house he lived in emptied out except for his own bedroom. His Mom had left and this caused his dad such distress he began drinking heavily and living carelessly. Within two months they were evicted from their home. Ken set out on his own and lived in his car for two months until he could find a place to live. He worked full time (2nd shift) while he finished high school and now, 40 years later, he still works at the same company. No longer a teen just trying to survive he is now the plant manager!
Ken did not follow his father's example, but by the grace of God, and with the positive influence of others who reached out to him, he grew into a responsible adult, who later became a loving husband and devoted father. Several people who had a formative impact on his life include a barber who allowed him to live in his first apartment before he could pay the rent as well as the company owner who believed in him, saw his potential, and gave him the opportunity to succeed.
Now Ken himself has not only a management position but also a mentoring role with others who can respect him for where he has been and what he has overcome in life.
Steve Green has a song that I recall having an impact on my life some 30 years ago titled "The Mission". It has this verse,
There's a
call going out across
the land in every
nation
A call to those who swear allegiance to the cross of Christ
A call to true humility, to live our life responsibly
To deepen our devotion to the cross at any price
A call to those who swear allegiance to the cross of Christ
A call to true humility, to live our life responsibly
To deepen our devotion to the cross at any price
Responsibility is a character trait often under-rated in our modern world. In my observation, increasingly, irresponsibility is becoming a far more common character trait among employees in the workplace than in past decades. We see it in our companies when supervisors and human resource directors look for responsible new employees. Many times a new hire doesn't last for more than a few days or repeatedly shows up late for work or doesn't show up at all. Believers should be known for their dependable behavior and faithful work ethic.
- Steadfastness is faithfulness expressed over the long haul.
- Loyalty is faithfulness expressed in our enduring relationships.
- Responsibility is faithfulness expressed in the daily management of life.
We practice responsibility in a number of different ways: when we nurture our relationships; when we handle our finances with care and integrity; when we properly care for our belongings and those of others; when we respect other people's property which may include their marriage partner, when we practice healthful living as stewards of the body that God has given us; when we are faithful in our work duties and many other ways.
I believe each of these character traits are important ways we glorify God. Through my years in ministry I've met quite a number of people who appear to have it altogether in personality or on the surface, but have made a fiasco of their finances or ignored repeated warnings about other important matters in their lives. God doesn't just want us to show up on Sunday mornings carrying a Bible in our hands; He wants us to live out and apply Biblical truths at home, in the workplace, the public setting, and in our places of worship.
As we conclude the first work week of another new year let me urge you to examine your life as a follower of Christ. Are you living in responsible obedience to God on a day by day basis?
May God help each of us this New Year to live our lives responsibly, for people are watching our lives! I am reminded of that when I think of the old saying, "More is caught than is taught."
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, we pray that
You will empower us to
live responsible lives
so that we can be
living examples of
what it means to live
self-controlled,
upright and godly
lives in this present
age. Help us to cast
down temptations that
weaken us by immersing
ourselves in Scripture
that speaks to that
sinful behavior, by
making ourselves
accountable to a
mature believer who
can help, and by
spending much time in
communion with You
loving You far more
than the sin that
besets us. We
want to seek first
Your Kingdom and Your
righteousness so that
we will be kingdom
servants pursuing
righteous living and
providing positive
examples for those
whom we might
influence. In the name
of Your Son, Jesus, we
pray. Amen.
Yankee
Ingenuity we saw
yesterday.
Troy
is a hardworking
carpenter who suffered
a serious injury
several months ago and
is on light duty at
his job as he
recovers. He was
tasked by his company
to shred a lot of
paper files. He
decided the supplied
shredder bucket was
far too small and he
was tired of emptying
it so he devised this
method! He also
brought the shredder
up to a comfortable
height, much less
wearying on the back!
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
"All My Hope"
Video
Gold City We heard this song
for the first time (at least that
we recall) yesterday and were so
blessed! Consider this verse:
There's
a kind of thing that just breaks a
man
Break him down to his knees
God, I've been broken more than a time or two
Yes, Lord then
Then He picked me up and showed me what it means to be a man
Break him down to his knees
God, I've been broken more than a time or two
Yes, Lord then
Then He picked me up and showed me what it means to be a man
"I Got Saved"
Video
Selah May the Lord
refresh in each of us the joy of
our salvation!
"I Got Saved" Video Corey Voss This is a live version with young people. When we watched this we could recall when we were young and had this vibrancy for the Lord. As we have aged we certainly no longer look youthful but hope we are never lacking in zeal and keep our spiritual fervor, serving the Lord! (see Romans 12:11)
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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