21 Days of Prayer & Fasting- Day 2 - Diligent Work - Allie Daniel - 01/11/16 New Life Covenant Cincinnati

Today is the 2nd Day of New Life Covenant's 21-Day Fast.  We are fasting and praying for many things...one of them is self-control and discipline in our financial lives.  To that end, members of the church and its pastors are writing daily encouragements.  Thought we'd share them with you.  Be blessed!

Day 2 - Diligent Work
By Alessandra Daniel

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10)

Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor. Proverbs 12:24

Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. Proverbs 10:4

There are a significant number of scriptures exhorting us to not be lazy, but to be productive and diligent workers.  Often times work may seem to be a burden, something necessary in order to get by in this life.  We need to put food on the table and keep our lights on and water running, right?  Recently I’ve been trying to renew my mind in order to have the perspective that God has about work, and I’m encouraged by it.  I no longer have to think of work as a burden, but instead a blessing. 

I, as a human being created in the image of God, am actually designed for work.  In the beginning God took six days to create the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1), and he instructed mankind to take six days to work and be productive as well.  God instructed mankind to rest only one day of the week (Exodus 20:8).  If we were designed primarily to work, then why should we worry about motivation to do it? especially when there is a promise of guaranteed profit, and we have the resurrection power of Christ dwelling inside of us! 

There are many people who don’t have jobs, and don’t have a relationship with the Living God.  They are not able to have peace that their needs will be supplied.  I know that I am thankful I have a job, and I realize that it is only because of God that I am able to attain and gain wealth and assets.

But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. (Deuteronomy 8:18)

So I want to work with excellence to show my appreciation to God.  I hope that all of you are encouraged to overcome the temptation to be idle by realizing that work is not a burden, but actually a blessing and privilege to create, innovate and do good works the way God intended.

Allie