Serving God from 8-5

On wednesday nights our church has been doing a book study on John Piper's book "Don't Waste Your Life". Tonight we discussed chapter 8 about serving God 8-5 so here are some highlights that I really learned from!

Think for a minute...What is your vocation? What is it that you A. either spend most of your time doing or B. earn your income from. You could for instance just be a full-time student not really earning an income or you could be in some other form of work lets just say a carpenter earning money for your trade. Ok, now that you have thought about what you are doing think about how you are serving the Lord in it? Or are you?

Not everyone is called to be a missionary or pastor but we are all called to serve the Lord in various ways and here are some things you can do to glorify God in your work.

1. Do not be conformed but transformed by the renewing of your mind in Christ Jesus and show love.
2.Provide for yourself and your family
3. Work so that you can give
4. Share the gospel to your coworkers

And there were more but those are the ones I can remember and that stood out! If you think of some ways you can glorify God is your vocation please leave a comment!

Refreshing fellowship.

I go to church every sunday with the exception of times that I am sick or the weather is too bad to get out. I enjoy my church for the most part, I love the people there, and things are good. However, recently things have seemed mediocre or dull beyond the sermons. I kept wondering what it was and why I didn't feel very good after church. Well friends, today I get it. I get why I have been feeling like church was in a bit of a rut... It was my fault I was not engaging in any deep meaningful fellowship with anyone recently.

I have been going to church for the past couple months and just doing the "hi how are you?"  "fine, how are you?" thing and not getting any encouragement nor really encouraging others. You would think this would not be to easy to considering our church is only 50-60 people and I have known them forever but nope somehow I managed to do it. I regret it and after two long encouraging conversations with people today I know why I can't let it happen again.

I am at college 3-4 days a week. I am around all kinds of worldliness, I am being taught worldliness, I am hearing people talk about things that are abomidable in the eyes of the Lord and I really do need Church and the fellowship and encouragement of other believers to keep me going! I was getting so worn out just almost thinking I was alone in my faith and struggles. I am not and I have a group of people at my church who understand.

Anyway I am rambling now but I think you get the point...Go to church AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE AND BE ENCOURAGED!!!! ITS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH!

Are you acting like one of the family?

I got back from working a couple weeks at camp a few days ago. I have been very tired and still reeling from a really unusually crazy week at camp. I have been working on scholarship stuff, resting, and not doing much of anything.


Now my mom and dad know I am tired but soon they became tired of just seeing me not doing anything. Dad asked me to really start acting like one of the family again and pitch in....part of me was like "well gee thanks I am not part of the family because I haven't done many chores" and actually admittedly I did say something along those lines (Hey, I am not perfect and figure I should be honest here) But what my dad said reminded me of God and what He thinks of His servants. Here is something along the lines of what my dad said " Of course you are a part of this family whether you do chores or not but everyone pitches in around here and does there part. That is what makes us a family. I give you a break when you are tired but now that you are recovered its time to work again." 
 
This whole conversation though it was not fun to have definitely got me thinking about my relationship with God as well as with my family. It begs the question in my mind "Am I acting like one of the family?" I know I am in God's family. I know I am His daughter. But do I act like it? Am I obedient? Am I serving God as I should and how He wants me too? Or am I simply sitting here in the family but not pitching in?

Its food for thought.

Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.Hebrews 2:11