The Path You Are On is Not Going to End Well
Jesus worked
He paid the price and this is what the scriptures say
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
When you taste and see that the Lord is good
And you consider all you do
To do it in the name of Jesus
You, too, will find your labor a joy
Because the fruit is very satisfying to the appetite
Work
“Work” can be a bad four-letter word.
You have probably heard the saying…
“If you don’t work, you don’t eat.”
That saying drives home Proverbs 16:26…
The laborer's appetite works for him;
his hunger drives him on.
I have always loved nature.
Maybe that is why I cannot understand
why anyone would want to live in a city.
As a boy, I loved fishing
and you know what they say…
“A bad day of fishing is better
than a good day at work.”
I grew up very poor.
My parents divorced
and both struggled financial
most of their lives.
My love for fishing was quickly
challenged after marriage.
I found my cheapest fishing trip
cost me more than had I bought
the fish at the super market.
I gave up more and more fishing trips
to work more hours.
I loved the bragging rights of
catching the biggest fish
and telling the best fishing stories.
But my love for my wife, family and church
took me off the water…
And caused me to work two
or more jobs at a time.
I, like you, wish I had won the lottery,
even though I don’t play the lottery.
I look back on my life
and wish I had not had to work so hard…
But the fruit of work for my family
and the Lord are worth the price.
It is good for young people to work.
As parents…
We sometimes want to give our kids too much.
We all need to know what it is to work
for our appetite…
To provide for ourselves and for others.
As we get older…
We look forward to the retirement years
when we quit the job
and live off the savings.
But for more and more seniors…
We worked hard, but the savings is not there.
It saddens me to see my friends
whose health is not good
have to work.
I had hoped by the time I was 60…
I would not have to work.
But looking at my 70’s…
Work is still needed.
So how do we keep “work”
from being a bad word?
A good place to start is…
To look at your budget.
Look at each item.
Some of those items you ate
yesterday, are now a credit card bill.
Your appetite was hungry
at the time
and now you are paying for it.
It is not always fun to look at
rent or mortgage
and the utilities that go with a house.
But our appetite for a home makes us
willing to work for those things.
Once you get past the basics…
Your appetite for entertainment, travel
and the extras
will drive you to work.
Proverbs 16:26 tells us…
The laborer's appetite works for him;
his hunger drives him on.
Our appetite works for us…
It drives us.
But our appetite can be for the wrong things.
It is said…
“If you love what you do,
you will never work a day in your life.”
It is not enough to work
because you are hungry.
We need to work to be satisfied.
What is your appetite hungry for?
What satisfies you?
What is in your budget?
One of the powerful small statements Jesus made
in His Sermon on the Mount is…
Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Matthew 5:6
My appetite is not always right
and it effects my health.
Condition your appetite for what is right.
Hunger and thirst for righteousness.
If we do this…
We will find a desire to work
even when our bank accounts
are more than enough.
If our appetite is right…
We will find ourselves grateful
for the fruit of our labors.
Jesus worked for your salvation…
He is the Bread of Life.
God tells us in Isaiah 55:1…
"Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
All this cost the Father and the Son.
Jesus worked…
He paid the price
and this is what the scriptures says…
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,
the author and perfecter of our faith,
who for the joy set before him endured the cross,
scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2
When you taste and see that the Lord is good
and you consider all you do…
To do it in the name of Jesus…
You, too, will find your labor a joy
because the fruit is very satisfying to the appetite.
Scripture Reading
Proverbs 16:26 NIV
26 The laborer's appetite works for him;
his hunger drives him on.
