Sermon Central
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What God Won't Bless Series
Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: By God’s grace we have been called to Christ, it is by the blood of Christ He purchased His church and it is by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of Christ that the children of God have gifts for the purpose of building and edifying the Body of Christ. A
God’s mercy contains two elements. The first is an inward concern for those who are bound by sin or some miserable plight. The second is an outward action aimed at relieving the sinful condition of the person caught in the bondage of being a sluggard. It is God’s mercy to bring Christians to repentance through allowing difficult circumstances to come in their lives because of not living a surrendered life to the Lord.
Hebrews 12:5-8, and verse 11 says, “And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons… No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:5-8,11)
Every God-loving, Word-filled, ministry-minded disciple maker will be more concerned about the condition of his heart before the Lord than over the unpleasantness of being chastised for laziness.
The question the Holy Spirit has for the spiritual hearts of Christians today is when the Lord cries out for their attention, will they continue to go their own way or will they submit to the Lord right now?
I remember when I was being a sluggard. I was working long hours and hard, however, I was ignoring my call to study and the provision God had made for me to get my schooling done. He had allowed me to get laid off of work, even though I was the highest rated truck driver, a very good employee and preaching every Sunday somewhere. When I got laid off of work my back was killing me so I could not go back to nailing horseshoes on horse’s feet or get a good paying labor job and I was not smart enough to get an office job. My schooling was not complete so I could not receive credentials or ordination from any decent ministry. The Lord had my attention and I was able to hear clearly what I was to do. He spoke to my wife, to the leadership of this church, to Pastor Ronald Scheimo and to me, “Get your schooling done.” Upon producing the fruit of repentance, I saw the Lord’s wonderful forgiveness and mighty provision for family and myself.
The Bible says more about the sluggard in proverbs 18:9, “One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.” (Proverbs 18:9) Laziness in the ministry, the church, the home and the work place is just as destructive as the man who purposely destroys things. There is no room for continued laziness in God’s work. All one needs to do to get rid of it is expect true accountability and the sluggard will be gone or he comes to know the joy of diligence in all he does.
I want to share one last passage of Scripture on what the Bible cautions about sluggards in the work place and the church. Proverbs 10:26 says, “As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him.” (Proverbs 10:26)
