KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, June 09, 2017
Chapters: Proverbs 19-21
Message: Doing A Great Work

Hello My Friend,

Idle; Not employed; unoccupied with business; inactive; doing nothing. We all have days where we are idle, we just do not want to anything, and no matter how much we try to get our body going we cannot. However, when being idle starts to become a way of life it is time to get up and get moving. We will never receive the things we need, want, or desire by sitting around and expecting them to come to us, even a person who is disabled has the ability to do something productive in life, I just saw a little person, she must not have been more than two feet tall, but she greeted everyone who walked in the store and was a friendly as could be to everyone. God gives us every ability to obtain the things we need, want, and desire according to the abilities He gave us, but it is up to us to go after it. “And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.” – Matthew 20:6-7.

The world really is good at deceiving us into thinking that we can get the things we want without good old fashioned hard work. Did you ever see infomercials with claims such as these, “With this amazing machine I get 30 minute workout results in just 5 minutes!” or “Just by taking one of these pills before I eat, I lost 40 lbs in 30 days, eating the same way I always eat!”. Fleshly desires bring many people into foolish and unhealthy decisions because they want quick results with little or no effort. The Proverbs are good to remind us of how important it is to know exactly what we are getting into and only by hard work can we see the results we desire.

“Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth. The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD. Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger. He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.” – Proverbs 19:1-3,15-16.

“and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.” I have been there, spent a couple of years living in a depression, seeking every means possible to make money, except admit I needed God’s hand in every bit of it. It was my attitude that kept me from being prosperous in anything that I did, I was slothful, and did in fact, spend much of that time in a deep sleep, I became idle, my soul was hungry, and the only one who could satisfy it was Jesus. We may be saved by grace, and not works are necessary to obtain our salvation, but if we want a prosperous life in this life we need to get to work. “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” – James 2:18-20.

While God does want us to work, we also have to be careful not to do work that is going to end up harming us or helping someone else who is idle themselves. As Christians we are taught to love one another, be kind to those who are not so kind to us, help those in need, but is there a line to be drawn on how far we are to go? Yes, there is. For instance, panhandlers on the street, are we to hand money to every person who begs for money standing in the intersections? I believe that God is the one who directs us on who to be charitable to since He knows who really needs help and who is preying on goodhearted people.

“Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again. Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.” – Proverbs 19:18-21.

“yet thou must do it again.” Every time we help someone who actually needs to be chastened all we do is help them continue to do the things they do, that is why it is important to be cautious in what we do, for we may end up being victims. As we walk with Christ we become what God created us to be, no matter how many times we fall, He will pick us back up and get us moving again. A fool is someone who deceives others for their own selfish gain, cares less about the people they hurt, and sadly, many will fall and it is God they will blame. It is the slothful that come up with plots and schemes to get the things they lust for quick, it may work for a while, but it will all catch up to them. Those who seek God’s guidance and do the work He tells them to do will prosper, they may fall a time or two, perhaps trying to rush things, but He will pick them back up again.

“Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee. Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good. Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way? It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry. The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.” – Proverbs 20:22-25,30.

“how can a man then understand his own way?” Okay, we must face it, we all have something that we desire in life, and have done things less desirable to get them. Some of us take a little longer to break from habits that make us desire to please the flesh to begin with. God knows this, He knows our heart, what we really want deep inside, and He’s going to test us on this.

“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.” – Proverbs 21:2-6.

“The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness;” We must understand something, God wants us to be happy, He wants us to find love, to prosper, and to break free from the past, we are the ones who hold on to things that God wants us to get rid. We may not have the guy or gal we want, the job we worked so hard to get, or the relationship we so desperately want with loves ones, but we have something, we have God. And God is going to hinder us if He knows that the thing we desire will harm or take us away from Him. Once we understand this, we can let God show us what He really wants for us, and be more than happy with the results. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:26-28.

Jesus Christ Magnified: Today, Jesus is revealed as the Spirit of man, “The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD,” (Pro 20:27a). Jesus is the Light that shines through every soul that receives Him, through Him every soul receives the Holy Spirit in them. “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” – John 12:46.

Today’s Prayer: God, We all have needs and desires, lead us and guide us so that we can obtain them in Your will. Give us patience to wait on Your timing and let us not become slothful in doing what is right. Nothing is impossible with You on our side, give us Your strength and power to remain faithful and not become weary in well doing. Let us not be tempted to seek earthly treasures that are all around us, but seek You, who will give us all we want and more simply by trusting Your timing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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