Christianity is Revolutionary

"One of the greatest injustices we do to our young people is to ask them to be conservative.  Christianity is not conservative but revolutionary."  Francis Schaeffer

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things become new."  II Corinthians 5:17

As I finish the thought that I began yesterday, most of us are so used to applying labels to identify people according to what they believe whether it be liberal, conservative, libertarian, etc.  In the evangelical world, those who claim to be a Christian and believe in the cardinal doctrines of the Bible such as creation, the fall of man, the virgin birth, the vicarious death of Christ on the cross, his resurrection and his imminent return and known as conservative Christians or the religious right to many in the media.  However, Christianity isn't conservative.  Christianity isn't about the status quo or upholding what we see even in fundamentalist churches.  Fundamentalist churches today are far from practicing what the Bible says when it comes to Christian living.  If you are a saved person and are "conservative", you're probably far from what true Christianity is.  Christianity is far more than just a head knowledge of the things of God.  A person that is saved has the Holy Spirit abiding in their heart.  And it's the Holy Spirit leads and guides that Christian into the path God desires for them to travel.  A true Christian is what he/she is because of the work of the Holy Spirit in their life.  When God saves a person, he makes a great change in their heart and plants within them a desire to serve God.  The things of God become paramount in their life.  That desire that's planted within them doesn't come from man.  It's a work the Holy Spirit does in their life.  God has done great things with those he's saved over the years.  When you read the book of Acts and the epistles of Paul, one thing is evident and that is God has changed the Apostle.  Paul used to be a Pharisee and schooled in Jewish theology.  He was a blasphemer and persecuted the church.  One day as he was walking on the road to Damascus the Lord spoke to his heart and blinded him.  It was during that experience that God gloriously saved him.  The Lord used him to do great things for Him.  He preached the gospel everywhere he went and on the different journeys he took.  He was tried by the Roman court, he was persecuted, and he was thrown in jail.  He was beaten many times for the gospel's sake.  When he and Silas were in jail, they sang a hymn and appreciated the opportunity for the privilege to be counted worthy to live for God.  That's something only the Lord can do.  Man can't plant joy in his own heart.  Salvation is a work of grace.  It's the grace of God that helps a Christian during time of tribulation.

When you read about those Christians who were martyrs for their faith and those who stood the test of time, they were able to do so because of Christ living in them.  When you read about Christians that we place in the Hall of Faith as an example to believers such as Paul, Peter, many of those were martyrs for the cause of Christ, and contemporary Christians such as Corrie Ten Boom, William Carey, to name a few.  These great Christians did marvelous works not of their own flesh but because of the Spirit of God that dwelled within them.  I'm going to ask this question: What is revolutionary Christianity?  In a nutshell it's Christianity where people have been saved and God has made a dramatic change in their life.  Which is something religion can't do.  Who can explain a drunkard becoming sober in just a moment of time?  Who can explain a harlot being delivered instantaneously and no longer living that lifestyle?  Who can explain a blasphemer now using his lips to praise God?  That goes far beyond what man can fathom.  When God makes a change in a person's life, He works from the inside out.  And the change is dramatic.  God has used the church to do great things in the history of the world.  You don't have to look no further than in the Book of Acts.  Start with Acts chapter 2 and read the rest of the book.  In Acts 2 the disciples were in the upper room and the Holy Spirit came down and filled them with his Spirit.  They were given the power of God and they went out and prophesied and preached the gospel.  3000 were instantly saved in that day.  That was a work of the Holy Ghost.  That was revolutionary.  That was a work of God.  Those apostles went out into Jerusalem and turned the place upside down.  That's revolutionary.  A revolution is about change and God changed those people and did works in Jerusalem and later into the uttermost parts of the world. 

To give you some contemporary examples of revolutionary Christianity you can read about the two Great Awakenings that took place in the eighteenth century.  God would move upon sinners during the revival and they would become gloriously saved by the grace of God.  He used such great preachers as Jonathon Edwards and George Whitefield to preach the gospel to sinners.  Some of them were hardened sinners.  Some were drunkards, whoremongers, rough people, etc.  God changed them and revolutionized their lives.  God gave them a purpose for living.  That's what revolutionary Christianity does.  Take a look at John Newton, who penned the famous hymn we sing in our churches today, Amazing Grace.  Before God saved him on the ship he was traveling, he was a slave trader and had a filthy mouth.  But God saved him and he changed his mind on slave trading and slavery in general in eighteenth century England.  He became a preacher and wrote some great hymns, one I just mentioned.  He became a great Christian because of the work God did in his heart.  I could use other examples but I hope I made my point. 

Both of these posts the last two days aren't very good on my part.  I know I didn't do much of job in articulating what I was trying to point out when it came to revolutionary Christianity.  Some people think of Christianity as going to church each Sunday and Wednesday and sitting in service listening to preaching and placing your tithes in the offering plate.  I'm not trying to belittle those things but in and of itself it's not revolutionary.  Religious people do those things.  Revolutionary Christianity goes beyond attending church faithfully or even involving yourself in the activities of the church.  It goes much farther.  For a saved person, Christ is everything.  Salvation will affect the way you walk, talk, and live your life.  Christianity is a lifestyle.  Everything you do is Christ-centered.  Pleasing God and fulfilling his will  in your life is what Christianity is all about.  God desires to use Christians that are yielded to him to shake this world for Christ.  That's what revolutionary Christianity is all about. 

Christianity is Well Beyond Conservative

           

"One of the greatest injustices we do to our young people is to ask them to be conservative.  Christianity is not conservative but revolutionary."  Francis A. Schaeffer

First of all, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!  I hope each and everyone of you had a very Merry Christmas.  Now with the new year we are heading back to schedule again.  Christmas for many people offered a break from the same old metonymy and they had a little diversion.  Many of you had time to set aside and enjoy your families.  I'm excited about the new year. 

Yesterday I changed my template to the standard one I use all year around on the blog.  Every year I always add something different on the blog description.  I click on a link to find a quote from the late Francis Schaeffer to use, which I've done before on this blog.  It's the quote above you see on this post from the late Francis Schaeffer.  The title of this blog, The Christian Worldview, is a tribute from Francis Schaeffer.  Over 22 years ago, I started reading many of the late Schaeffer's past works and I thoroughly enjoyed many of them.  Of course, I didn't agree with him on all his viewpoints, but he was all about looking through the lens of scripture when it came to issues in life.  I wholeheartedly concurred with him there.  Schaeffer believed that the Lordship of Christ should be applied to all areas of life such as the arts, scientists, music, education, etc.   He believe Christianity should permeate everything we do.  His writings helped permeate my thinking on life in general.  When I was thinking of what to write for the first post of the year, I selected this quote above and I am going to expound upon it. 

Many of us are guilty of using and overusing the term "conservative" when it applies to politics and even Biblical orthodox Christianity.  The online definition of "conservative" says, "Believing in the value of established and traditional principles in society; relating to or supporting political conservatism."  I've stated a number of times that I'm a political conservative and that I believe in the Bible.  Most scholars or many people who claim to be Christian would call themselves a conservative Christian if they are opposed to abortion, sodomy and gay marriage, support school prayer and Bible reading, and believe in the traditional tenets of scripture such as the virgin birth, Christ's vicarious death on the cross, Christ's resurrection from the grave, his imminent return to this world, creation, and the fall of man, to name a few.  However, when you consider the state of Christendom in America, Christianity in most churches today is far from what the Bible says it should be.  The above definition of conservative wouldn't sound bad if the church practiced the tenets and principles of the Word of God en masse.  Consequently, what takes place in most of our churches today is far from Biblical, orthodox Christianity in our society.  Nevertheless, Schaeffer was right on the money when he stated that Christianity is not conservative but revolutionary. 

What does it mean to be revolutionary?  Merriam Webster has three definitions for revolutionary, but it's the latter that I want to focus on.  "Revolutionary" means (1) of, relating to, or constituting a revolution (war), (2) tending to or promoting revolution, and (3) constituting or bringing about a major or fundamental  change.  That's what Christianity is.  If you read Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7, you will see that Jesus is preaching the Sermon on the Mount and addressing the multitudes.  When Jesus came into this world as a babe lying in a manger, the Jewish people were looking for a political savior to deliver them from the captivity of Rome.  Jesus, however, didn't come the first time to establish his kingdom in Israel.  He came to die for the sins of mankind upon Calvary's cross.  He didn't come to be crowned as king during his first coming.  He will be crowned king following his Second Coming.  The Jews were s were under the Mosaic law, which included both the moral and ceremonial aspects of the law.  The law dealt with the outward part of man.  There was a Jewish sect called the Pharisees who kept the law humanly speaking.  When Jesus preached to the multitudes in Matthew chapters 5-7, he preached something that took matters into a totally different direction.  Jesus said that if your righteousness didn't exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees, one cannot enter the kingdom of God.  What was Jesus saying?  He was saying that you can't live by the righteousness of the law.  The Lord was the only one who kept the law.  The reason being was because Christ was sinless.  He possessed no sin nature and knew no sin. Christ was the only one who could fulfill the law.  No matter what the Jews' best attempts were, they always fell short of the law.  Christ brought the law to a whole different level.  He went beyond the outward aspects of the law and dealt with the inward part of man. Jesus was dealing with the heart of man.  He started by speaking of the Beautitudes, which dealt with Christian living, which went way beyond the law.  He told the multitudes to bless those who persecute you for Christ's sake.  He also mentioned what the Law said about a man committing adultery.  Jesus said if a man looks upon a woman for the purpose to lust after her, he has committed adultery already in his heart.  Jesus was also quoting the commandment which says that man shouldn't commit murder.  Jesus extended it further and said that if you are angry with your brother without a cause, you are in the danger of the judgment. Jesus was concerned about the condition of man's heart.

Jesus was pointing out on the Sermon on the Mount that man can't keep the law.  Man's heart is too sinful.  In Matthew 15 Jesus was telling the scribes and Pharisees that what comes out of a man's heart defiles man, not what goes into his mouth.  The Pharisees were always about showing their good works to impress the Jews.  They might have appeared righteous outwardly, but inwardly they were raven wolves.  By concentrating on matters of the heart, Jesus pointed out that man couldn't be justified by the law.  Only Christ could do that.  That's why Jesus was born into this world.  He came into the world to die for the sins of mankind.  The only way man could experience life was to be born again.  It would require a new birth from above to save mankind from his sins.  As a result of the new birth, Christ would write the law into the heart of man so he could possess the desire to live for God and fulfill God's will in his/her life.  The law wasn't bad.  The law was just and holy. But man couldn't live by the law because his heart was unjust and wicked.  It doesn't mean saved people don't sin or fail God.  However, there's that inner desire to live holy before God because of that new nature that's placed within the heart of man. 

As I've stated earlier, Christianity isn't conservative.  It's revolutionary.  It will change a man's life when he becomes born again.  II Corinthians 5:17 says it well.  If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.  Old things are passed away, behold all things become new.  Things will never be the same again.

I will finish the thought in tomorrow's post. 

Our Choices Define Us Rather Than Our Abilities

Several days ago I passed by a local middle school close to where I live when I was headed to work.  It had an inscription on the school's message board which stated "Our choices define us rather than our abilities."  How true that statement is.  That doesn't mean that our abilities or our talents are irrelevant, because they're not.  But with talents comes the responsibility of utilizing discernment.  We have the responsibility to make choices in order to use them properly.   The choices that we make in life say much about who we are.  They reveal our character.  Choices we make reveal whether we're wise or unwise.  Making choices are very crucial.  Through choices, we are making decisions that can/will affect us for the rest of our lives.  That's how serious making choices are.

Back in December 2002, I wrote an essay entitled, "Life is a Choice."  I titled it that way simply because life is all about making choices.  You will spend your whole life making choices.  Why do you think there's so much emphasis being placed upon teenagers that are approaching graduation from high school?  The reason is because they will be making choices following graduation that will affect the rest of our lives.  The first choice you'll have to make upon graduation is what choices you will make when it comes to your future vocation.  Will you attend college/vocational school, etc.?  What type of job or career are you planning on embarking upon?  What are you going to do when it comes to personal relationships?  Are you going to get married someday and to whom?  Most important, is where does the House of God rank in your life?  Are you serving Him and if not will you make that choice to dedicate your life to God and serve Him?  These are some of the choices you'll be making in life.  Making choices is something that you can't escape.

I've seen the logo "Life is a Choice" on buttons by pro-life groups.  I'll add a quick note here: The choice to create another human being is made prior to conception.  Once conception takes place, the choice has already been made.  You can't redo that when a pregnancy takes place.  When a couple make the decision to engage in sexual relations with one another, you're consenting to life if a pregnancy occurs.  This idea of choice after pregnancy is not an option in God's eyes.  Abortion is murder in God's eyes and once conception takes place, that is another human being that's created.  Nothing will change that.  I thought I would add that in to those who might believe abortion is justifiable according to situational ethics.

As I stated earlier, our abilities are important.  God endows every human with talents for the purpose to serve Him.  However, talents must be used wisely and the choices we make about how we use our talents say much about us.  It reveals our character, our judgment, and what's important in our lives.  In the basketball arena, there's always much said about our talented basketball players.  When college basketball coaches recruit players, they look for the most talented players there are.  However, there's more to great players than their abilities.  It's the choices they make while they are on the floor.  I do understand that the head coaches draw up strategies and give them instruction on how to win the game.  However, there will be moments when a basketball player needs to possess wisdom on what to do at the right moment, and many times that can be instantaneous.   The reason why LeBron James is so revered in NBA basketball, for example, is because he knows how to make the right choices at the right moment.  As talented as he is, it's his judgment on when to pass the ball, when to shoot, and to whom to pass the ball to is what defines him, not just his talent alone.  There are some players that are very talented but they don't go very far in the ranks simply because they don't make wise choices while on the floor or they don't play smart basketball.  I heard Louisville head coach Rick Pitino make the statement last year that his 2013 national championship basketball team knew how to play smart basketball.  Playing smart basketball, along with your talent level, is what wins championships.  You can't be very successful in whatever vocation or endeavor you're involved in if you don't make wise choices. 

It's our choices that define us.  Abilities are important if you're going to accomplish a task but if you don't make wise choices when it comes to using your ability, you'll be limited on how far you travel in whatever venture you're involved with.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone!  I trust and pray that 2014 will be the most prosperous and productive year ever in the history of your life.  I want to say from the outset that my post to open the new year isn't going to be entitled, "American Desperately Needs a Second Revolution" like I wrote on the first of January in 2012.  I'm not going to waste my time in speaking about the need for a second American revolution when you consider the spiritual shape America's in.  It will be to no avail to speak of a second American revolution unless there's a spiritual awakening among God's people.  That's the first and foremost priority (Psalms 85:6).  For years Christian organizations such as the Moral Majority and the Christian Coalition have concentrated on endorsing "Christian" candidates to elected office both statewide and nationwide.  How has American profited from all the billions of dollars spent from both organizations, to name a couple, from all the effort produced from these two organizations?  Nothing.  America is more wicked than ever.  Congress is more corrupt than ever.  America is on the brink to being a total socialist country (with the inclusion of Obamacare, for example).  We have homosexual marriage taking place in several states which probably will be one day legislated as the law of the land.  We have activist judges that unconstitutionally declare laws prohibiting gay marriage as unconstitutional (such as the case in Utah).  Our so-called conservative Representatives and Senators are worthless when it comes to standing against the takeover of our country by socialist forces.

First of all there aren't many "Christian" candidates that do get elected and those who do get elected  just blend in with the government's corrupt system.  They don't make "waves" to try to turn Congress in the direction it should go.  It's the same old story regardless who gets elected.  I've heard conservative radio talk show hosts such as Jim Sumpter speak about the cowards we have amongst many of our so-called conservative Republicans.  I believe there's a reason for that:  Our government is controlled by powerful forces of darkness whom I label the forces of Nimrod.  Who are they?  They are those forces that are trying to take America down the road to destruction to form a new world order, which has been a dream of mankind all the way back to the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11.  I wholeheartedly believe there's a reason why our conservative or "Tea Party" lawmakers won't defund Obamacare in the House.  I believe if one of our Representatives were to try to do that they would suffer severe and far-reaching consequences.  That's why there's no blue-slipping done to defund Obamacare.  You may not believe what I just said but I do.  I believe they've been bribed and threatened to not touch Obamacare.  I believe our globalists want Obamacare in place because it will take American down and bring us closer to the new world order.

As I've said earlier, my thought to open the new year isn't about reforming America to bring it back to it's constitutional roots.  As much as I would like for that to happen, it won't happen considering the spiritual condition of America.  The only way that could happen is for God's people to repent and a spiritual awakening to take place across America to take back the government.  How likely that is I don't know.  But we need to focus on living for God more than just reforming America.

We live in a brain-dead society that seems to be appallingly ignorant when it comes to understanding issues and concepts of our day.  I believe much of that is due to the fact that we're an entertainment-crazed generation that spends most of it's time being entertained by Hollywood, video games and things that amuse us.  I was reading the online definition of amuse and it means to occupy in an agreeable, pleasing, or entertaining fashion.  It also can imply at the least specific something that directs attention away from serious matters.  That's what's happening to America today.  We live in a country where young people in school plus many Americans in general would rather watch "Duck Dynasty" or "American Idol" than read and pay attention what's going on in our government as well as current events in American society.  We live in a generation that would rather be "amused" than to "muse".

What does the term "muse" imply?  It means to be absorbed in one's thoughts, to engage in meditation.  It also means to consider or say thoughtfully; to be absorbed in meditation.  Much of what goes on in the form of entertainment has caused (in my opinion) many Americans (including young people) to be brain dead.  I believe too much amusement will retard a person's thinking.  When I use the word "retard" I'm not speaking of a physically handicapped person.  When I use the term I mean a slowing down or a hindering of progress; delay.  When a person surrounds himself with entertainment and is constantly amused, he/she doesn't have to think.  When a person is constantly amused, he/she doesn't have to think and therefore can become brain dead.  I'm not implying "brain dead" in a medical sense.  I mean that person can't grasp or understand the concept behind many of today's issues in society.  We wonder why many America's children perform so poorly in school in such areas as science and math, for example.  It's because they're fed a steady diet of Hollywood and other types of entertainment that amuse us.  That's why there's not much serious critical thinking taking place in America.  That's why there are a segment of voters that will go along with whatever the government tells them.  For example, there are a segment of voters that believe Obamacare is about affordable health care.  If you read history and read about other countries such as Canada and Sweden that utilize government-controlled health care you will realize government-sponsored health care is a failure.  Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act isn't about affordable health care.  It's about seizing control of the healthcare industry so the government can eliminate personal choices concerning what kind of healthcare coverage to purchase.  They're all about controlling every aspect of our lives ranging from our diets to what type of doctors we choose for our medical care.  That will happen with Obamacare in full force.  Just wait and see.

Other issues that a segment of Americans are brain dead over are taxing the rich and the minimum wage law to name a couple.  There are a segment of American citizens (some of those who don't pay any taxes to the federal government) think that the rich should pay more in taxes.  They think that will help pay down the deficit and grow the economy.  Higher taxes don't grow the economy.  What grows the economy are businessmen who are willing to take a risk with their capital to start a business and hire workers.  That's what grows the economy.  Higher taxes on businessmen and businesses discourages job growth.  The more taxes a business pays, the less money there is to create more jobs and invest more in their current employees.  Higher taxes don't grow the economy.  The problem isn't lack of revenue.  The problem is government overspending.  That's why our national debt tops $17 trillion.  The government needs to stop growing and they need to automatically eliminate wasteful, unconstitutional spending. 

The last issue I want to mention is the federal minimum wage law.  President Obama and the Democrats are promoting a minimum wage increase up to $10.00 an hour.  When most people hear that President Obama and the Democrats desire to increase the federal minimum wage, they think that's a great thing.  The truth of the matter is, the minimum wage is for those who work entry-level jobs such as McDonalds and other fast-food outlets.  That sounds good but it won't be good when prices rise on goods and services to pay for that minimum wage increase.  If prices rise as a result, what's the point in raising the minimum wage?  I thought the purpose of raising the minimum wage is to help those who are starting out on entry-level jobs.  How does raising the minimum wage help anybody if they're going to have to pay higher prices on goods and services?  There might as well be no raising the minimum wage.  What should be the purpose of raising the federal minimum wage?  It should be to help increase the purchasing power of those on the bottom rung of wage earners.  Raising prices hurts those it's supposed to help.  Not only does it hurt those on the bottom rung of wage earners but it also affects the purchasing power of  those in the middle that can least afford it.  If we're going to raise the minimum wage, why not raise everybody else's wages who work a public job?  The last thing we need to do is to artificially raise prices by government decree, which has been happening rapidly since the year 2000.

I would like to challenge all Americans to devote more time to reading and studying things that are of a serious nature in life instead of spending so much time being entertained.  We need to learn to practice the art of musing.  We need to take time to read the Holy Bible, God's word in the 1611 King James Bible, we need to read books of history, science, politics, and things that would help us to stay informed concerning the issues of life and eternity.  We need to spend our time musing.  If we would spend more time reading to muse and learn, our critical thinking skills would rise rapidly.  We wouldn't be falling for the things we're falling for if we would take the time to think.  That's what we need in this hour.  We need informed, educated Americans who know how to solve problems, geography, basic facts in history and government, and most of all know the Word of God.  What difference it would make in our lives if we were literate in everything across the academic board.  We wouldn't have people falling for things that are of outright stupidity.   If we would stop allowing ourselves to be amused, it would sharpen our thinking skills and it would change our lives.  We need an informed America at this hour in which we're living.  Let's devote our time to reading, writing, and thinking.  Let's learn how to muse on the important things in life.  Have a prosperous, productive new year!

Glenn Beck Keynote Speaker at 2013 NRA Convention

Glenn Beck Speaks at NRA Convention on May 4, 2013

Striving For Excellence in Your Vocation

There have been several people over the years that's taken a tour through the United States.  There have been those that have traveled to every state in the country for various reasons.  I've had the privilege of seeing a few states such as Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, the tip of Georgia, Colorado, Indiana, Missouri, and Kansas to name a few.  Some of those states I've been to I was passing through on a destination to another state.  The states that I visited were very beautiful.  Anyone who's traveled around this country will have to admit this is a beatiful country.  When you take a view of all the buildings, roads, bridges, dams, and the list continues, you will have to admit there was enormous amounts of labor involved in the building of the cities within the states.  All the monuments and all the historic relics I see is a testament to all the labor that man has placed into building this country.  It's taken hours upon hours every single day to build the country we have today.  When the first settlers came to Jamestown, Virginia in 1607, there was nothing but Native American Indians and uninhabited land.  The United States as we know it today didn't possess all the luxuries and the nice edifices like we see today.  Someday had dreamed up all the buildings, roads, and bridges, etc.  They just didn't appear out of nowhere.  Then those same people who came up with the idea to build these cities had to have a plan to implement to make it happen.  Once that took place, then workers were hired to build these cities.  It took years upon years of labor throughout the 403 years that settlers have inhabited the United States starting with Jamestown.  It took a lot of labor to provide all the nice things we as Americans enjoy in the present generation.  All this just didn't magically appear.  It requires work to construct things.  Anybody that works a public job knows that you have to use the members of your body if you have any intention of producing a product. 

I want to quickly wish everybody a happy Labor Day today.  Many people are having barbecues, spending time with friends and family, and enjoying the nice weather in various parts of our country.  While we're enjoying this day in recognition of all those who labored throughout the years in America, we need to stop and remember that anything we desire to have we must labor for it.  It's a fact of life that we must work.  Nothing will ever be accomplished apart from labor.  God could if he so desired speak a word and anything we desire to possess could appear before us instantly.  God could speak and a completed edifice could appear if he so choose.  God could instantaneously make goods appear without our having to labor with our hands.  However, God chose for man to labor to provide for his own living.  Man that will work will learn to appreciate the goodness of God and the good things in life.  People that are just handed things without any requirement to work for them tend to not be appreciative of all the labor that was made at someone else's expense.  God has chosen for man to labor.  We can share in the rewards when we've contributed our part in a day's time.  I want to look at the importance of "Striving for Excellence in Your Vocation."

Ephesians 4:1 says that we are to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we've been called.  God's given everybody various gifts.  Everybody possess abilities to construct things with their hands.  Everybody is gifted differently.  Everybody doesn't possess the same talent and God had an intention for that. Ephesians 12:6 mentions that we are then given gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us.  Ephesians 4:16 mentions about the body being fitly joined together.  God gives everybody different gifts so the whole body can be fitly joined together for his purpose.  That's why there are different gifts in the body.  Everyone can't teach Sunday School.  Everyone can't sing.  Everyone can't preach in the pulpit.  In a local assembly, you have need for someone to operate the sound booth so the microphones will work properly, for example.  There's a need for somebody to know how to clean the building.  Everybody can't perform the same chores.  There has to be a division of labor.  Everybody needs to find a task that fits them individually and perform it with all their might.  The same principle applies to the work force.  Everybody can't be teachers.  Everybody can't be lawyers or businessmen.  There are diverse needs in the labor force just as there are diverse needs in the body of Christ.  In the labor force there are people that are needed to fill the role of police officers, nurses, electricians, construction, architecture, the local grocery store, and the list continues.  That's why everybody doesn't possess the same interest nor same talent.  God designed it that way so the needs of the work force will be met.  Our society would be in chaos if you there weren't any nurses, firefighters, construction workers, and the list continues.  There's a need for all types of occupations.  The Lord gifts people in various ways to fulfill the needs of the labor force.  We have a responsibility to find out what our gifts are and set out to train ourselves to use that gift in the labor force. 

Ecclesiastes 9:10 says "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."  First of all we need to know where our talents lie.  Once we do that we need to determine if there's an occupation that would best fit us when it comes to using our talents.  Whatever occupation we choose to spend the rest of our life performing, we need to first of all find out what are the requirements in pursuing that particular vocation.  Will we need to attend college?  Will we need to attend vocational school?  Will extensive education beyond a bachelor's or master's degree be required?  Those are important questions that we need to find out when we're pursuing a particular vocation that fits our talents.   Whatever training we need to eventually land the job of our choice, we need to be diligent in our training so we will be adequately prepared to land the job we're seeking.  Employers are looking for employees that are capable of performing the tasks that they need in a particular business.  You don't want to be slothful in your education.  Once you've finished your education, then you need to go job searching.  I'm not going to spend the time explaining how one should groom themselves when going for a job interview.  However, it's serious that we diligently prepare ourselves for an upcoming interview. 

Once we land the job, we need to set out to work vigorously in our vocation.  We should be very diligent in our daily chores at work.  Our work is a testimony.  Our work says a lot about us as an individual and even as a Christian.  Slothfulness is inexcusable.  We should perform the job to the best of our ability.  We should strive to perform our duties accurately everyday on the job.  We are paid to fulfill certain needs on the job.  We should be productive each and every single day.  We shouldn't settle for mediocrity.  I heard a person say once that they believe mediocrity is a sin.  I believe he's right because the God we serve isn't an average God.  When God created the world, he didn't create a world that was average.  He created a perfect world.  The same with man.  God created a perfect man.  He didn't create man that had cancer nor lung disease.  The reason why our world and mankind are in the shape they're in is because of sin.  God didn't originally create us the way we are now.  We are sinful because we're born in sin which can be traced back to the fruit Adam and Eve partook of in the Garden of Eden.  God didn't create man in sin.  God's not the author of mediocrity.  If God isn't the author of mediocrity, then it's evident from that as well as the scriptures I just mentioned that God doesn't approve of mediocrity.  Ecclesiastes says that whatsoever our hand findeth to do, we're to do it with all our might.  There's no room for mediocrity in that verse.  Romans 12:11 says we aren't to be slothful in business.  We're to be fervent in Spirit.  When we come to work everyday, our attitude about our occupation should be completely opposite from the world.  We live in a lazy society.  Many people on the job today possess the attitude they don't want to perform anymore than what's required.  The truth of the matter is they try to perform less than what's required.  That's not the way we should be about our vocation.  We should strive everyday for excellence.  We should strive to improve our skills so we can become a better asset on our jobs.  I guarantee you that if you will strive for excellence everyday, there's a great possibility you could be promoted to a higher position.  That's happened on a number of occasions with people.  I've known of people who poured themselves into their occupation and as a result, they were promoted to a higher position.  We should never be content with just being average on the job.  We should strive to improve our skills all the time.  There are some occupations such as the teaching profession which offer training development to the teachers during the summers when school is out.  They hold teaching seminars to supposedly better enable the teachers to educate their students.  Any vocation that has training development it's worth taking.  Anything that would enable us to become a better asset on the job is worth it.  It will pay dividends if we are perfect and whole on the job we perform.  The mindset of many workers in today's work force is mind boggling.  We'll never become what God desires for us to be unless we put our hand to the task and perform our vocation with all our might. 

I recognize there are some jobs that Americans perform that they absolutely hate.  I know there are some jobs people have to take because of the economic condition in certain parts of our country.  I understand that.  I've personally worked jobs that I didn't enjoy or maybe I should say would've not preferred, but I made up mind that I was going to like it what I was performing it.  Much of the time how well we like our job can be dependant upon our attitude toward the job.  We have a responsibility to make a living to pay our bills.  Sometimes we don't have much of a choice in the matter.  Regardless whether or not we're in a vocation that doesn't match our skill set, we're still to maintain a good attitude and perform the job with all our might.  We have to labor to provide a living.  Sometimes that requires taking jobs that we don't prefer.  We have to make up our minds we're going to be productive and successful.  That's the only choice we have. 

It's a privilege to work.  Even though we display the attitude that having to work is a curse, we would change our minds if we were to come across people who are physically disabled and would like to work.  We are blessed to be able to work.  Some people don't have that luxury due to physical disabilities.  We should take the time this day to reflect upon the importance of labor.  We enjoy many of the gadgets and conveniences we have today simply because there were people willing to work to produce those nice things we enjoy today.  They weren't invented out of thin air.  Somebody had to be the dreamer, somebody had to be the designer, somebody had to implement the plan, then somebody had to be willing to labor to produce that product.  All the goods we have in our households are representative of the labor of millions of people around the world.  Anything that we possess somebody had to be willing to produce it.  We all play a role in society.  We should diligently contribute our labors to our vocation .  We should be strive for excellence in everything we do.