Laziness (Part 2 of 2)

The when you hear that somebody has been slacking off typically think that's a reference to work-related responsibilities, but laziness can creep into every aspect of our lives, including our relationship with the Lord today on Truth for Life. Alastair beg teaches us about an aspect of lazy behavior often overlooked. Samuel Johnson has an immense quote on laziness. I'll give it to you. It's not an easy quote but you're a very intelligent group you get this without difficulty. He says indolence is one of the voices from which those who once infects are seldom reformed every other species of luxury operates upon some appetite that is quickly satisfied and requires some concurrence of art or accidents which everyplace will not supply.

In other words, if we had a craving for reading tubs of peaches. Once you get a time of peaches you eat 14 of them pretty well satisfied and furthermore, if you have a craving for peaches in your somewhere where there are no peaches then you're going to have to be involved in some skillful art or in creating some context so that you can satisfy that desire. That's true in most of these things, but laziness doesn't mean that you can be lazy anywhere anytime without any help at all because laziness is nothingness. Laziness is defaulting to to sleep and to just abject confusion. He goes on, but the desire of these acts equally at all hours, and the longer it is indulged.

It is the more increased to do nothing is in every man's power, we can never want an opportunity of omitting duties. The lapse to indolence is soft and imperceptible because it is only a mere cessation of activity, but the return to diligence is difficult because it implies a change from rest to motion from privatization to reality everybody who is ever engaged in an exercise program knows this is the case, it takes no difficulty at all. When the time comes around. When there is an alarm ringing or whether it's a somebody coming and calling on us to see you stay here does matter where he rests, you me in your house you can be on the road. You can be in a hotel. I think I'll just stay here and the more that we develop patterns of something I'll do this so I don't not apply myself.

I will get around to it later. Whatever else it is we begin to establish a track for ourselves on the day we determine to change what amounted weekly. We were running whatever it was we were able to talk as we ran, we were able to increase our speed or decrease our speed. We could within the limits of our own exercise program to well I never said I don't think so. No, I don't think so. No no no no no no no and now suddenly we decided, will go again, we thought we'd start where we where we didn't start where we where we'd only gone 150 yards and we were walking we can talk to our lives because we were completely exhausted and out of breath.

Our neighbor up the street wants to know why were not speaking here's the thing. The real issue about this in the real tragedy of the man's house is that laziness is not an infirmity.

Laziness is a sin. God made us to work indeed. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh is a Sabbath to the Lord in the contemporary request for leisure feeds on indolence fees on a mentality which says nobody is going to tell me what to do or when to work.

I will just order my own program on my desire in life is to reduce the six to a smaller number as I can and I'm certainly not interested in this one day of worship and rest and study and so on. All I want to do.

All I want to do is have some fun. So that was so was her name, Sheryl Crow, that just came out from nowhere. Sorry on the Santa Monica Blvd. so I wanted to do when I want to do with who I want.

Don't anybody talk to me about anything. The Christian is supposed to be radically different from that. The problem for the individual is that he is still stuck in his mentality that he's unprepared to learn lessons even from nature is not prepared to go and look at the end of chapter 6. You can find it for homework to consider the and says Solomon and be wise, he doesn't have an overseer, he doesn't have a manager and still he is industrious he knows what time it is that he takes care of it but to the slug at all time is the same. There's no need to get to active just take things easy rest for a while as a boy growing up in Scotland Mars bars were definitely my favorite.

There's still high on the list and then the lion as a child growing up was on Mars the day helps you work, rest and play. But for the sluggard Mars a day helps you rest so look at him as he lies hinged to his bed, surrounded by Mars bar wrappings. I care about Mars.

Why would you it's in my hip pocket get out for me.

Laziness is a sin, it affects the whole of arm, manhood and womanhood. It has an unperceived power it needs to be rooted out. As parents we have a great responsibility in this and it totally leisure consumed society. The challenge for us is to breed children that are known for the quality of their work for the consistency of their attendance for the honesty of that endeavor for the extra mile given in the place of their employment.

These simple things will increasingly be the marks of the godly as our world gives up on the standards of God's word. Finally, let's say a word or two. By way of application's characteristics are clear.

His house is a shambles. It's all overgrown. What is the application to us. First of all we need to recognize as I say that laziness is not something to be joked about ultimately it is a comic picture but it's ultimately tragic is something that God wants to deal with in our lives in order that we might be our best. Some of us this morning would say that we know Christ and we follow after him and therefore it is legitimate for us to ask if there is any sense in which laziness is intruding into our walk with Christ. How my doing and the things of God on my doing in my personal devotional life. What happens in my reading of the Bible my own personal prayer. What about my commitment to the people of God, not forsaking the assembling of myself together. What about my commitment to the law of God given not in order to make me acceptable to God. For Christ does that, but given an order that it might frame my life and in order that I might obey it in order that I might fulfill with diligence. The demands that lays upon me as the spirit enables me how my doing. How are you doing as laziness crept into your soul.

Are you as devoted as you are a year ago, two years ago five years ago is your zeal, burning bright is the lamp lit in your homeland in your heart to those who know is best say there's someone who's going on. He's listening to Romans 1211 never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord.

I can see that he's doing that. The wife says I know my husband is doing that he doesn't talk a lot about it. He's not trying to make a fuss about it but he is diligent in the things of faith. He is committed to following Christ. He is not a lazy man, remembering that Dimmesdale her song.

He describes a guises that he's a lazy gent you don't pay no rent bent out of shape from living in the tent some kind of funny looking money machine. This is the woods are lovely, dark and deep believer promises to keep miles to go before we sleep. There's no there's no time for lying down folks is daytime his work time. The night is coming when no one can work. But the darkness is dark and the light is light and we are the children of the light we let our light so shine men might see our deeds and glorify our Father who is in heaven and that takes absolute dependence upon the power of the spirit and absolute commitment to the task at hand. And what about our relationships within our homes. What about our commitment to our marriages.

What about diligence in relationship to that. As laziness crept in. If people came and examined our marriages do they see the flowers in place.

Do they see that it is we did that. It is cared for, or do they see the walls broken down to the drive by and say there's nobody lives in that marriage is matting singles.

Those people exist in the same house, but they have no communion. They have no celebration. They have no meaningful fellowship my dear friends, let me tell you, I am forced to conclude that if I take the evidence is presented to me. There are very few really fantastic marriages, and a significant part of the reason is because man quiets on the jaw. Well if she does this and she forget that you love your wife the way Christ loved the church, you take care of business. You get's I just read a book that was chiding anybody for saying what I'm now saying to I would tell you the book as I don't want you to buy it but the whole thesis of the book is men don't need to be told to be good anymore. What men need is an adventure.

Therefore, beware of the pastors who tell the men come on now be good. Listen to the pastor's essay have an adventure. I me tell you the best adventure.

You and I will ever have is found along the pathway of goodness is pound and found along the path of duty get to the thorns and get to the thistles and get them, God helping you, and in the work of the Lord when I nice to take part. Do I take part but I just put things off bit by bit. If you could call me a week on Friday I'll be back then. I never really in Cyprus and I hope you never call me again in my life. I don't want to hear about this orally. The kind of people who are devoted let's not allow slackness as Poulter spoil our work. Let's keep the fire of the spirit burning as we do our work for the Lord. Let's not become masters of the unfinished to the extent that we have become masters of the unfinished that were tending over a journey with Christ in the journey with those nearest and dearest to us that has broken down walls and thorns and thistles and it is a royal shambles. We need frankly only one place to go to the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ say Lord Jesus Christ look at me. I never planned to be here.

I never thought that I would get here. I didn't make a decision to become like this somehow or another. It is correct. Up on me like scarcity. It is sees me by the throat like a bandit. I see now that by small incremental declension's I have grown so far from the vibrant, diligent, committed lover of Christ and lover of my wife and lover of my children and care for my people and gentle to my employee. I find this very challenging because, as Wiseman says the slug it is no freak just an ordinary man who is made too many excuses. Too many refusals to many postponements to get it to many refusals to many excuses to many postponements and it is all been as imperceptible and pleasant falling asleep sees sees finally, there is on here this morning and frankly you find this presentable. You are the master of ticking everything off you have little lists for your lists you have checks you have circles, triangles, squares, and Dickie Dickey do directly related to everything that you do your children know that your aunt, wife, nose or your aunt your business personnel know that you wanted and frankly the reason you're here is because you're on the spiritual thing.

If you're a little more wanted to be here at 9 o'clock but you're on it now that if you were really on it to be here at 630 but you must do without yourself.

But the find of the night, as you say you know I don't really need to talk like this. I mean anyone in the community knows that I'm a committed guy with my shoes. I actually shined the heels of my shoes. No girl should marry a man who does not shine the heels of his shoes. I am present when people ask me, I'm usually a little ahead of the curve, and frankly good guy.

Thank you for the talk on laziness. Very interesting. I'm never going to need it. Hold your fire, I want finally in the dying moment to ask you this question. Mr. businessman are you applying the same level of diligence to the discovery of who Jesus is and why he came, and what it means to know him as you are to the pursuit of excellence which is valued and esteemed, and rightly so, and is commendable within your home and community are you playing golf this week at Western Michigan standing on the T3 people around me began to talk about security and I get I couldn't address the ball because of the conversation going address of over a number of reasons but mainly the conversation was my excuse so I stepped away from it and engage in the conversation and the gentleman said you know that the Dow is down. It was the day came down 500 points or whatever wasn't and I moved it into such and such and I moved it here and I moved there, somebody came up with a definitive statement on security. After all, he said security is that out of whatever whatever is on what it was but it was bogus and I said to him I said sure you know, there are no pockets in a shroud of done funerals never 27 years I never saw anybody loader coffin up with cash. Surely security has to do with dealing with the terminus. Surely security has to do with dealing with the one appointment you must keep the one appointment that is in everybody's diary.

The one appointment that cannot be avoided. It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this comes judgment, put it in your diary Mr. businessman, you are definitely going there now let me ask have you apply the same level of diligence to the preparation for that appointment as you have applied in your life to securing your family's future, except and if not, why wouldn't you your sensible man well get around to it.

I suppose I will finally get there. I'm not sure that I'm going to do it today or anytime soon but I do have it in my portfolio somewhere while be very careful because the one thing about the sluggard is that he's never on time is favorite day is always tomorrow. He tells himself. There's always going to be a later opportunity give me a little longer to impress me now. Well said to him writer life at best is very brief is like the falling of a leaf or would it profit a man if he was a most diligent man in the business and his diligence was such that he gain the whole world and is laziness in spiritual things were such that he lost his own soul, and finally a word to the children. Thank you for listening to me I see you out there you're going is he stopping yes I'm done I was done about five minutes ago but now I'm stopping specially to teenagers. You need to deal with this first on the spiritual level going to settle this issue with God. No matter who your mom and your dad is, no matter what they mean to you what they've done for you, how they've nurtured you and cared for. There has to come a day in your journey where you say Lord Jesus Christ. I am lazy about these things I can get up at 4 AM to play ball. I can caddy my brains out provided. The tips are good.

I can stamp with my girlfriend to 2 AM I can play PlayStation. So my fingers don't work anymore. I can watch movies to 130 in the morning I can go to movies at 11 o'clock I can go to Danny's at four in the morning and either interesting food somehow or not I can ask get this issue sorted out with you. It's not Ken's Miss this won't now is the accepted time. Today's the day of salvation. Do not ever food off to tomorrow, especially a kindness that you can do today do not put off to tomorrow. The claims of the Lord Jesus calls you to zealous dependent Christian father, I thank you that the Bible is a lamb for our feet is a light for our path that shines out for us.

Our neighbors often say why you study that book. It's an ancient old book. It really is nothing much to say they don't understand.

Would love to tell them just how immensely practical it is.

Forgive us Lord our indolence were all potentially lazy lazy about our work, lazy with our relationships lazy with our consideration of Christian things and are following after you.

But don't on this message. Lord Dawn had landed on anybody's head like it like an anvil, as if somehow or another the word was now pull up your socks and do your best. My very laziness shows me that I must rest in Christ. I could never get in enough endeavor.

Going to work my way to heaven.

I this just shows me another fact that I am a sinner in need of a Savior, I go to Christ. I take my rest in him and finding my rest in him. My endeavor that by his enabling. I will work because of his love for me here than our prayers and let our Christ come unto you. Be with us in this day, me, your grace and mercy and peace be our portion for we pray in Jesus name, amen. Relying on the Lord's help combat lazy tendencies make our relationship with him. Our top priority. From today's message on Truth for Life with Alister Bragg will hear from Alister again. In just a minute, so please keep listening. In the meantime if you have not yet requested the book with all your heart. Be sure to do so today. This book is only available through the end of this weekend and as I've mentioned throughout the week. This is a fascinating book that takes an in-depth look at how the word heart is used throughout Scripture good order your copy today when you make a one-time donation to Truth for Life by tapping the image you see on the mobile app or you can go to Truth for Life.org/donate or if you prefer you can call us at 888-588-7884. Now, here is Alister again with an invitation.

I wish my grandfather was still alive because if he was, I want to bring among the said Laskin adventure because he love meeting new people. He made good friends. He loved studying the Bible and he liked to sing.

Actually, he would be kind of perfect person to have on this cruise. Now that's not to say that there aren't others who fit the bill. Many of us, of course, our grandparents, but the age range will be varied, young and old, newly married, some towards the end of our physical journey, but all of us together on a wonderful ship studying the Bible, singing God's praise and enjoying the beauty of God's creation. I hope you'll come along and if you want to know how you can make that happen.

Bob will tell you, you can find out more about how to join Alister on this trip by going to deeper faith cruise.com or by calling 855565551 Bob Lapine hope you have a restful weekend sure to join us again Monday as we look at the characteristics and consequences of jealousy from the book of prompts the Bible teaching of Alister Bragg is punished by Truth for Life with the learning is prolific