October 2, 2016
Scripture:
Read 2 Kings 5:13. The Lord has not asked us to do some great thing; He has accomplished that great work for us. This morning, we can render thanks to Him for what He has done for us.
Hymn 335 - I am so glad that our Father in Heaven
Prayer
As we mentioned before, Proverbs changes here at chapter ten, and moves on to moral values. Today we’ll look at one of these values: diligence. Being diligent means to be hard working, to apply constant effort, and to be careful to do the right thing. Recently we heard of squirrels that were hiding food away, getting ready for the cold. If they didn’t work hard, they might be hungry come winter. Also, earlier in Proverbs, the Lord tells that we need to keep our hearts diligently. So lets look at a few rewards of diligence, and some things that distract us from working hard.
Proverbs 10:4. Here we get a comparison between the diligent and the slothful. The reward for being diligent is riches. This can mean both physical riches and spiritual riches. If we work hard, we can earn what we need. Ruth is a good example of working with our hands. She gleaned, meaning she went through the fields picking up dropped grain. She was diligent and worked all day. When there’s work to do we have to keep at it. Ruth didn’t give up part way through the day because she was tired or thirsty. She kept working, and got what she needed. We can do that spiritually, too, and get what we need from the Word of God.
Proverbs 12:2 says that the hand of the diligent will rule. The Lord may have given us a natural talent, but if we don’t use that talent, it will be wasted. People who are less talented but who work hard will get farther along than those who have talent but don’t work. It’s like the story of the race between the tortoise and the hare. The hare was faster, but he lay down for a rest, and woke up just in time to see the tortoise crossing the finish line. The hare didn’t apply constant effort. He didn’t get the reward, because he didn’t keep going. We have to keep going in order to get our work done.
Proverbs 12:27 shows us that lazy people don’t care for what they have, but what the diligent man owns is precious because he worked hard for it. That grain was precious to Ruth, because she worked hard and long for it; and she used it. May the Word of God be precious to us as we memorize it and glean from it.
Proverbs 13:4 tells us that the diligent person will be satisfied. The slothful person won’t have anything, because he didn’t go and work for it. As we work, if we don’t give up, we will earn things and be satisfied. It’s important to learn this when you’re young, because later in life the Lord can use our jobs to provide for us.
In Proverbs 20:5 we find a hasty person. There are certain jobs or chores that we may not enjoy, so maybe we rush through them so we can get back to doing something else. We might cut corners and do a sloppy job. The thing is, we’ll have to go back and fix the job anyway, so we may as well do it right the first time.
Proverbs. 23:1 says that the diligent man will get recognition. If you do your job well, people will notice and want you to work for them, because they know you can do the job right. Daniel was like that; he worked hard and well, and he stood before kings. Hard work will give us a good reputation; and people will know that we serve the Lord. In that way, we can be a good example to others. Colossians 3:23.
Some distractions that can keep us from being diligent are slothfulness, which we’ve seen in some of these verses, and other people. People may want us to come and do other things, but we need to stick to our jobs until we’re done and free. If we work diligently there will be rewards; the Lord even says that He will reward those that diligently seek Him. May we be diligent in the Scriptures!
Colossians 2:8-15
Verse eight is another warning. Darby has it begin as, “see that there be no one who shall lead you away as a prey”. The word beware tells us that this is a very important warning. Paul is warning about becoming a victim to men’s devices. Kelly said that philosophy is the great bane of Christianity. Its man’s ideas, and they want to destroy everything God has revealed. God is nonexistent in philosophy. There is no fall of man in it; there is no conscience.
This is coupled with vain deceit. Vain means it is unsuccessful or not producing a result. But “without faith it is impossible to please God”. Most philosophy isn’t truth. It is wonderful to get beyond man’s ideas and read God’s thoughts. These men, who are brilliant, seem proud of their achievements. Ideas are traditions of men which are now rudiments of the world. The basic thoughts of man are not after Christ. These verses are as true today as it was when it was written. Lennox said, “Just because a person of highest scientific post says something doesn’t mean it’s scientific.” We have the blessing of having the truth of God right here.
It is important to have Christ before us and to seek to follow and to grow in Him. You won’t find Colossians 2:9 in any philosophy. You find that in the Lord Jesus Christ. We have been formed into a body, and Christ is its head. Trying to think of the fullness of the godhead is beyond us. God has manifest Himself. He seems to match His character with what the need is. With Abraham He was God Almighty. We can’t fully enter into this, but we can meditate on it. The body brings out Jesus Christ not only as human on earth, but also in heaven. “The Word became flesh.” Jesus took up a body to redeem us.
There is a big contrast between verses eight and three. We have everything in Christ, but some go to the world. We are brought into a relationship that involves that godhead. We are complete in Him (vv. 9 & 10).
In John 1:14,16 we find grace and truth. Darby has it as grace upon grace. We have been brought into a big deal of grace. We are complete in Him, Who is the Head of principalities and power.
Hymn 366 - We are little children, very young indeed
Prayer