Written by Adam Jackson
This past Sunday I shared a message titled Move Beyond Complacency centered around the book of Revelations in Ch 3 in regards to the Lukewarm Church of Laodicia. This week I want to share those highlights here on this blog form of the 3 key points from that message. The first point for this post is #DoTheWork
Romans 12:11 says "Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the LORD enthusiastically."
God didn't call you to sit on the sidelines, he called you to participate. For the past several weeks Pastor Logan has been ministering on Practical Christianity through the book of James. And one of my favorite passages from that is from James 2:14 What good is it dear brothers & sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15. Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, "Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well" but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17. You see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
It's my favorite passage because of the example it uses of someone seeing a need but doesn't do anything about it & wishes them well. Pretty much saying "Good luck with that!" How often do we do that? That isn't practicing what we believe. That's not being the church. That's not being the hands & feet of Jesus.
You see Faith is not just a belief but a lifestyle. It's by our actions. The enemies desire for the church is to be complacent or in otherwords Lukewarm. To not take a stand for anything, to become idle or lazy avoiding work with no purpose. God needs us to put our faith in action. Faith without works is dead as verse 20 of James 2 states.
Laziness is defined as unwilling to work, showing lack of effort, lack of activity and a lack of care. People living idle or standstill lives will never produce anything for the kingdom of God. A church that is complacent is a church that doesn't produce or I should say re-produce. Because as believers we should be reproducing our faith by sharing the good news, by giving & serving, & loving one another. Reality is everything we do takes work. It takes work in marriages, it takes work to hold a job & earn a living, it takes work to raise your children, it takes work to grow your relationship with God. It takes work to stay healthy & fit.
I have a 100 day challenge going on right now to complete 100 days of workouts. Originally it was to do it for 100 days in a row but I had to set a realistic goal for me. That goal is to just get 100 days done. As I write this I'm at day 94 of that 100 day challenge since the beginning of the year. I probably should have finished 2 months ago but I've had days I've missed, even a couple weeks during the time I missed here & there. But I get back up, I show up, & I do the work. We have to put in the time & the effort.
Lastly we have to have a Spirit of a Finisher. We have to get across that finish line. When my son & I play Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch sometimes my son wants to quit because he's falling behind & not doing good. That's where I have to keep on him to finish the race. Even if its last place you just need to finish. Complacency doesn't finish the race. We can't win a race if you stop half way. That won't get your the crown. God just needs you to finish the race.
Meaning we need to endure the trials that we are going to face. Those trials are going to build that endurance you need. We are running a race that we can't lose unless we quit. Don't quit the race, don't give up, you are closer than you think! That breakthrough could be around the corner.
I'll leave you with these 2 Proverbs
Proverbs 13:4 "Lazy people want much but get little. But those who work hard will prosper.
Proverbs 21:25 "Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work.