Making Life Work PT.2
Take Initiative
Acts 2:1–4 (NLT) – On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
Series Verse:
Proverbs 1:7 (NLT) – Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.Luke 16:1–9 (NLT) – Jesus told this story to his disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a manager handling his affairs. One day a report came that the manager was wasting his employer’s money. 2 So the employer called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? Get your report in order, because you are going to be fired.’ 3 “The manager thought to himself, ‘Now what? My boss has fired me. I don’t have the strength to dig ditches, and I’m too proud to beg. 4 Ah, I know how to ensure that I’ll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.’ 5 “So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe him?’ 6 The man replied, ‘I owe him 800 gallons of olive oil.’ So the manager told him, ‘Take the bill and quickly change it to 400 gallons.’ 7 “ ‘And how much do you owe my employer?’ he asked the next man. ‘I owe him 1,000 bushels of wheat,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ the manager said, ‘take the bill and change it to 800 bushels.’ 8 “The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light. 9 Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.
Sluggards (Lazybones)
Proverbs 6:9–11 (NLT) – But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? 10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.
Making Excuses
Proverbs 22:13 (NLT) – The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!”
Proverbs 19:24 (NLT) – Lazy people take food in their hand but don’t even lift it to their mouth.
Proverbs 26:14 (NLT) – As a door swings back and forth on its hinges, so the lazy person turns over in bed.
Priorities (9 out of 10) – Selective Procrastination
THE ANT
Proverbs 6:6–8 (NLT) – Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! 7 Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, 8 they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.
The Initiative (Holy Spirit) Challenge
Make Peace
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT) – Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.Romans 12:18 (NLT) – Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.Plain Hard Work
Proverbs 14:23 (NLT) – Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!Proverbs 12:24 (NLT) – Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.Colossians 3:23 (NLT) – Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.Fuel for the Race
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (NLT) – Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.Money Matters
Luke 16:10 (NLT) – “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.1 Timothy 6:17–18 (NLT) – Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.Rich Toward God
Luke 12:15 (NLT) – Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”Luke 12:19 (NLT) – And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!” ’Luke 12:20–21 (NLT) – “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ 21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”Mark 8:36–37 (NLT) – And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? 37 Is anything worth more than your soul?Divine Initiative
John 3:16 (NLT) – “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Acts 2:37–41 (NLT) – Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.