american dream

Why we work hard

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA "but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, SO THAT he will have something to share with one who has need." -Ephesians 4:28

Why do we work hard? Why should we work hard and save our money?

We work hard and we are not lazy or stealing SO THAT we have money and resources to help those in need. We also work hard to steward and save our money for these same purposes. It is very oppositional to our American Dream and normal American perspective of money and gain.

Here in scripture we are told that we work hard FOR the opportunity to share what we get. This, for me, requires a check to my motivation and my worry.

Am I motivated to work hard that I may earn enough to be able to share and serve others OR do I work hard that I may earn enough to be able to say I've earned enough?

What worries me most when it comes to my work and my gain? Why am I worried in the times when funds are low? Am I worried because it means I will be unable to then give to those in need and share what I have. OR  Am I really worried because once more it is going to mean I cannot financially sustain the lifestyle and pleasures I have built for myself?

If I worried more about the former than the latter, somehow I think funds would be low on a much rarer occasion.

Random Reflections: Wednesday

If your plate is full, get rid of some of the things you do no need to eat.

Set time aside for God, and when you do, do not let anything interrupt it. Create time for God.

We love to hear God but hate to obey and do what we love to hear. Good intentions don’t always turn into actions. Sometimes we can even spiritualize our disobedience. Sometimes we even pray about it because we do not want to do it.

We have too many options and choices and we get frustrated when there aren’t as many options. This is why we come to church on our terms and not on God’s terms.

The National Day of Prayer is like: you come running in, punch the devil in the face and then run back out; leaving him 364 days to do as he pleases.

I lack desperate prayer. God hears desperate prayers. My American dream knows nothing of desperation. I cannot be desperate as an American. I far too often pray with dry eyes.

The deal Moses denied, America accepted. (God stays behind, but he gives us security, prosperity, and protection) But this is no good. We have say with Moses, "GOD, UNLESS YOU GO WITH US, NO DEAL." Unless you clothe us, we are naked…Unless you feed us, we are hungry…Unless you refresh us, we are always thirsty for more.

Devastation or Desperation

I need to learn how to pray prayers of desperation. We as a country have no idea what it really means to be desperate; to pray desperate prayers. God calls us to desperation as one of only two ways to bring about transformation in this country. The only two ways are when we pray either desperation prayers or devastation prayers. We have already learned devastation prayer during 911. We learned that our country will certainly come together during devastation. When we were attacked, everyone came out to pray together to a God many of them never cared about before. But beyond those people were the Christians who had finally came together in a spirit of prayer, a unified prayer. But if that is the only way we pray in hopes of transformation of a country, I am not sure how much more we can handle devastating attacks on our country.

We have to learn to come to God out of desperation for him. How desperate are we for Jesus? How desperate am I for Jesus? We sing about it all the time, "I'm desperate for you. I'm lost without you." But how true is that?

Now when I say desperate for God, I don't mean desperate for him to help us and make things happen for us. I don't mean desperate for God to fix my back, get me a job, pay my bills, give me a car. I mean how desperate are we for GOD!!! Do we really want to be dependant upon God? Those kind of prayers bring transformation. God I am desperate for you. Not your actions...but desperate for YOU!!! We desire to be closer to your heart as people, as families, as churches, as communities, as cities, as a nation. Are we truly desperate for God? Are we seeking God's face or are actually just seeking God's hand?

We have to learn to pray desperate prayers. Ask God to teach us desperate prayer. We have to learn a LIFESTYLE of desperate prayer. This is not an annual event at the Day of Prayer or around the pole at school. We have to become people of prayer if we are to see our life transformed.