Christian Living

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Let us discuss the importance of serving the Lord in our work. We know that the world takes a different perspective on work than Christians do. They promote this idea of financial security as though that were the goal of life. To be financially secure, we are told, is something we should strive for. Indeed it is the most desireable condition there is because then we are free from the necessity of labor. We can then party, travel and pursue pretty much any thing we desire since we have the wherewithal, that is, the money to buy whatever particular pleasure it is that we want to indulge in. But this is not an option for the Christian, not that traveling and attending parties are not in themselves lawful but rather our true desire is to serve the Lord and so whatever we do "Whether we eat or drink we are to do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. 10:31 and "Our labor is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Cor. 15:58

What a blessed comfort this is to know that the money that we are earning in exchange for our labor can go toward getting the gospel out. It can go toward promoting the kingdom of God either through Bible distribution, handing out good and godly books to those who are in prisons, jails, and rest homes. Everything that we have can be used to further the cause of Christ.

Now consider that verse "You know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." I believer there is a deeper meaning God wants us to see and it is this that our spiritual labor is not in vain either. Our spiritual labor in the Lord is getting the gospel out and laboring for the souls of men for we know that the gospel is a savor of life unto life to those that are being saved and a savor of death unto death to those who perish.

Now the ungodly work to obtain an earthly reward, a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible crown. Indeed the world finds purpose in their work for the pursuit of pleasure. As one rock group sang a song years ago with such lyrics as "Everybody's working for the weekend. Everybody needs a new romance." This is for the Friday and Saturday nights where these people can go out and dance their way to hell and make merry and join the carousing crowd but it ought not to be so with Christians (1 Peter 4:3,4) for we are to be sober we are to be vigilant knowing that our adversary the Devil walketh about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8

We are to be sober or temperate, alert and always praying that we might be looking for opportunitites to serve the Lord. We are to watch because we are in enemy territory surrounded by ungodly men and a myriad of demons.

You see the Devil seeks to destroy the Christian. He sends out his forces to the business world and to the schools. He sends them to the churches and to the family trying to make the Christian miserable and unhappy and to draw his soul off from following after his God and so, therefore, it behooves us as believers, as we pursue a course of godliness, to beware of our enemy the Devil for we are not to be ignorant of his devices. 2 Cor. 2:11

We are not to sleep as others do but to watch and to be sober. 1 Thess. 5:6. We know that we are in the Devil's territory and this should cause us to be watchful and alert because he seeks to destroy our soul. If we take our religion seriously, then we realize that we are in a battle and if you are in a battle you know that your enemy will try to sneak up on you. Despite all the booby traps, the mines and so on, the enemy uses subtle devices to invade your ranks.

I remember when I was in the Marine Corps in a fox hole during training one night this fellow Marine and I were to be awake to take turns on our watch. It was late at night or early in the morning (I can't remember which) but we were so tired from our days training and labor that we fell asleep that night. Now if this had been a real war we may very well had died if the enemy would have sneaked up on us.

On another occassion I failed to stay awake during desert survival training and lost a meritorious promotion. I had been up for a promotion but because I fell asleep it undid all the good that I had previously done. Let this be a warning to those who have made a profession to follow Jesus Christ.

If we fall away from serving the Lord and if we fall asleep spiritually speaking and do not pray and so are not alert and watchful this may be the undoing of our souls. It may be the undoing of everything that we previously did in our Christian life and our Christian walk.

Only those who are found faithful in the end will enter into the joy of their Lord and what a joy that will be. Matthew 25:33






Carlton Pruitt ministers the gospel to the Los Angeles area. Formerly a Hollywood actor (SAG member)and junk removal expert he now spends most of his time studying the scriptures, writing articles, hymns and poems and doing street preaching. See his videos on www.YouTube.com. Type in LAStreetPreacher in the search bar. CONTACT at [email protected]

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