THERE IS WORK AND THEN THERE IS LABOR
“…I KNOW THY WORKS AND THY LABOR…”
(REVELATION 2:2 KJV).
*
The WORK is what you DO, but the LABOR is the
toil or energy you invest in order to DO those WORKS. “…I KNOW THY WORKS AND THY LABOR…”
(REVELATION 2:2 KJV).
Another way to define
LABOR is the “fruit of labor.” The “fruit of labor” is the activities
involved in DOING the WORK. “…You will enjoy the fruit of your
labor. How joyful and prosperous
you will be!” (Psalm 128:2 KJV).
The activities involved in doing the WORK
of ministry are actually meant to be GIFTS. “… People should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God…” (Ecclesiastes 3:13 NLT).
The WORK of ministry
often requires a commitment of TIME. “…And in the PROCESS of time IT
CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV).
For example the labor
of endurance is not passive, but involves activities such as being brave, persistent,
waiting, bearing with evil people, extending grace to the undeserving, showing
mercy to enemies, and practicing unconditional love over a LONG period of TIME
that may accumulate into days, weeks, months, or years.“…Their
days of labor are filled with pain and grief…”
(Ecclesiastes 2:23 NLT).
Labor is the inward and outward activities
involved in DOING the WORK of ministry. For example, in the following
scripture, in order to do the WORK of offering up burnt offering; the labor
involved several activities: “…He must bathe himself with
water in a sacred place, (NEXT)put on his regular
garments, and (NEXT)go out to sacrifice
a burnt offering for himself and(NEXT) a burnt offering for the people. Through this PROCESS (or LABOR), he will
purify himself and the people, making them right with the Lord….” (Leviticus 16:24 NLT).
“…Through this PROCESS (labor), HE MADE the
altar holy by purifying it…” (Leviticus 8:5 NLT). The labor may involve several
activities, but afterwards the altar was made holy.
The church in Ephesus
knew how to labor even if it required suffering through a long-term period.
LABOR is the activities
involved in DOING WORK and the WORK may require a certain amount of time. “…And in the PROCESS of time IT CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis
4:3 KJV).
The LABOR necessary for DOING the WORK can
often involve difficult tasks such as forgiving an offense, or showing grace to
the offender and continuing to believe all these activities will work together
for good. “...ALL THINGS work (LABOR) together for good to
them that love God, to them who are the called ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE…” (ROMANS
8:28 KJV).
In
other words, LABOR involves TIME and the WORKING together of challenging
activities.
What activities
does LABOR involve in order to DO the WORK of God? LABOR involves ANY and ALL activities
required to DO a SPECIFIC WORK of ministry.
LABOR
is whatever activities are necessary to get a specific WORK of God done. For
instance, I am a BIBLE teacher. When I am preparing for the WORK, the LABOR involves
activities such as: reading scripture, studying scriptures, taking notes,
organizing my notes, putting them together in a lesson plan, meditating, praying,
and trusting God to use me for his purposes.
LABOR
will always be a part of the WORK of God. There are some activities of LABOR
that take time. Doing the WORK of teaching also involve many activities of
LABOR that challenges the character.
Without
certain activities of LABOR the WORK of ministry would NOT get done. The priest in the following scripture had to
bathe himself, put on his regular clothes, go to the place where sacrifices
were made, and make sacrifices for himself and the people.
It was
the LABOR necessary to DO the WORK of ministry that would make him and the
people RIGHT with God. “…He must bathe himself
with water in a sacred place, put on his regular
garments, and go out to sacrifice
a burnt offering for himself and a burnt offering for the people. Through this PROCESS, he will purify
himself and the people, making them right with the Lord….”
(Leviticus 16:24 NLT).
The WORK of God is accomplished by DOING the
LABOR necessary for the task. If you want to make a specific cake; you will LABOR
by DOING the activities necessary to make the cake. If you don’t LABOR, by
DOING the activities necessary to MAKE the cake; it won’t get done.
Some
parts of LABORING to DO the WORK of God is easy, but other parts are much more
challenging.
Those
challenging activities of LABOR cause you to depend upon, the indwelling Holy Spirit to DO the WORK “IN” and “THROUGH” you. “…God … does the work IN and THROUGH all of us
who are his. … (1
Corinthians 12:4-11 NLT). “…
God … work[s] … in … [you] … what
is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ…” (Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV).
“…the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works…” (John 14:10 KJV).
LABORING to DO the WORK of God may
involve long-term activities of walking in humility, demonstrating grace, forgiving
an offense, showing mercy to the offender, extending unconditional love,
delayed desires, living strictly by faith, suffering through patient endurance,
and totally entrusting your outcome to God.
All the activities of LABOR to DO
the WORK of God will work together for YOUR good. “...ALL
“THINGS” work (LABOR) together …” (ROMANS 8:28 KJV).
Whenever
those LABORS WORK together for good, it will be in God’s timing. “…[YOUR]… TIMES are in [God’s]…hand…” (Psalms 31:15a KJV). “…[YOUR]… FUTURE is in [God’s].. hands…” (Psalms
31:15a NLT). “….To every [thing there is] a season, and A TIME to every purpose under the heaven…” (Ecclesiastes
3:1 KJV). “…For the vision [is] yet FOR AN APPOINTED TIME, but at the end it shall
speak, and not lie: though it tarry, WAIT FOR IT; because IT WILL SURELY COME….” (Habakkuk
2:3 KJV).
You
probably WON’T know which activities are being utilized to complete the LABOR
necessary to DO the WORK of God. Therefore, it requires you to “…walk BY [the
indwelling Spirit] …FAITH...”
(2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV).
Walking
by faith is the challenge of LABORING to DO the WORK of God. Most people get
weary in the activities of LABORING for the WORK of God. “…Let us
NOT become weary in doing good,
for at the PROPER
TIME WE WILL REAP A HARVEST
if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 NIV).
However, God does NOT change the
activities necessary for the LABORIOUS WORK of God. “…I
am the Lord, I change NOT…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”
(Hebrews 13:8 NIV).
God
does NOT reduce the necessary activities to DO his WORK nor does he limit the
TIMEFRAME the LABOR takes to complete the task. “…in the PROCESS of time
“IT” [WILL]…CAME TO PASS…”
(Genesis 4:3 KJV).
Certain
activities are to DO the LABORIOUS WORK of God. “...ALL THINGS (activities) work (LABOR) together for GOOD to
them that love God, to them who are the called ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE…” (ROMANS 8:28 KJV).
Without
going through the activities of LABOR the WORK will NEVER done and you will NOT
see what God has prepared for you. “…Eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which
God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9
KJV).
Most
of the time, the activities you don’t like during the LABORIOUS WORK of God has
the most IMPACT on your future blessings.
The
LABORIOUS WORK of God serves to EMPOWER you, through the indwelling Spirit, to grow and develop spiritually. “… GROW (develop) in the GRACE and knowledge of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Timothy 3:18 NIV).
“…Be
conformed to the image of his Son...” (ROMANS 8:29 KJV). “…[Grow and develop
spiritually] …until [you] …become mature, attaining
to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:14 NIV). “… [Therefore]… [you] … are changed (developed) into the same image [of Christ]
from glory to glory …” (2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV).
LABORING
to DO the WORK of God provides transformation opportunities. “…
[change]… into the SAME IMAGE …” (2
Corinthians 3:18 KJV). “… [TRANSFORM into the]…image of HIS SON...” (ROMANS
8:29 KJV). “… [TRANSFORM into
the]…fullness of CHRIST…” (Ephesians
4:14 NIV).
LABORING
to DO the WORK of God will require the EMPOWERMENT of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
The
indwelling Holy Spirit EMPOWERS you to develop and grow
spiritually as you LABOR to DO the WORK of God. “… GROW (develop) in the GRACE and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Timothy 3:18 NIV).
Because
LABOR is EMPOWERED by the indwelling Holy
Spirit, it also enables you to become conformed to image of God. “…Be
conformed to the image of his Son...” (ROMANS 8:29 KJV).
LABORING
to Do the WORK of God MATURES you. “…Until we …become
mature, attaining to the whole measure
of the fullness of Christ…” (Ephesians
4:14 NIV).
LABORING
to Do the WORK of God TRANSFORMS you. “…Be
transformed by the renewing (laboring) of [my] mind….” (Romans 12:2 KJV). “… [Therefore]… we all … are changed
(transformed) into the same image [of Christ] from glory to glory …” (2
Corinthians 3:18 KJV).
LABORING
to DO the WORK of God MAKES you into a new creation. “…by the grace of God I am what I am…” (1
Corinthians 15:10 NIV). “…He that is
joined unto the Lord is ONE spirit… [with
him and God]…” (1 Corinthians 6:17 KJV). “...Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2
Corinthians 5:17 KJV).
LABORING
to Do the WORK of God takes you into NEW DIRECTIONS. God
says, “…"This is the way; walk in it…"
Isaiah 30:21 NIV). “…I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye…”
(Psalms 32:8 KJV).. “The steps of a good man are ordered by
the Lord: and he delighteth in his way” (Psalms
37:23 KJV). “…Thus saith the LORD,
thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am
the LORD thy God ….which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go….” (Isaiah 48:17 KJV).
The
WORK of God is a LABORIOUS task which will require the USE of the mind, the
body, the heart, one’s choice, time, sacrifice, and surrender. “…I KNOW THY WORKS AND THY LABOR…”
(REVELATION 2:2 KJV).
The
WORK of God is a LABORIOUS task, but it is meant to be a LABOR of LOVE. A LABOR
of LOVE is a passionate, willful, and voluntarily devotion to a specific WORK.
God pays CLOSE attention to those who are
devoted to the GIFT of the LABORIOUS WORK of God. “…Every
man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat (nourish themselves) from them and to receive his reward and REJOICE in
his labor; this is
the gift of God…” (Ecclesiastes 5:19 NASB).
He PLANS to REWARD those who have LABORED
to DO the WORK of God; ABUNDANTLY and OPENLY. “…AT the PROPER TIME WE
WILL REAP A HARVEST if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 NIV). “…‘We’ve
given up everything to follow you…” (Mark
10:28-31 NLT). And Jesus said to him, “…I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or
mother or father or children or property, for
my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return
a hundred times as many houses, brother, sisters, mothers, children, and
property – along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life...”
(Mark 10:28-31 NLT).
God KNOWS many of his people have LABORED themselves
into WEARINESS doing the WORK of God. “…Let us
NOT become weary in doing good…” (Galatians 6:9 NIV). “…I KNOW THY WORKS AND THY LABOR…”
(REVELATION 2:2 KJV).
Yet, he STILL says, “…I HAVE
SOMEWHAT AGAINST THE[m] …[THEY HAVE]…LEFT [THEI]R… FIRST
LOVE…” (REVELATION 2:4 KJV).
“… repent and DO the first [laborious]…works…”
(Revelation 2:5 KJV). “…At the PROPER TIME [YOU]… WILL REAP A HARVEST if [you] … do not give up”
(Galatians 6:9 NIV). RETURN TO YOUR “FIRST LOVE!”
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