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Topic: Mind Your Business
(Open Heaven 24 July 2019)
Memorise: “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” – Proverbs 22:29
Read: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 (KJV)
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
Bible in One Year: Joshua 23-24, Ezekiel 21:24-22:5
Open Heaven 24 July 2019 Wednesday MESSAGE:
We need a deeper insight into today’s memory verse in order to understand what God is teaching us today. To put it quite simply, God is asking us to be diligent, specifically in our own business. Anyone who is inordinately diligent in someone else’s personal affair is a busybody, and such a person will reap no reward for this. When I was young, my mother was so hard on me whenever I played too much. She would order me to immediately go into the house and read my books. If I protested that I was being singled out for harsh treatment when other children were also playing, she would remind me that she was not called to mind other people’s business. I thank God that my mother diligently minded the business which the Lord committed into her hands. She would say to me, “Enoch, you are my business; I will mind you and not other people’s business.”
When a person is not mindful of what to do with his or her life, he or she wastes it. Please understand that time wasted is life wasted. The easiest way to waste a life is to not do something meaningful with that life. Paul could boldly say to the Church at Thessalonica that he and his team purposely did not live on other people’s provision. He gave his reason for this in 2 Thessalonians 3:8-9, saying:
“8…that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
Paul went as far as telling the Church that any so-called brother or sister who would not work should not be allowed to eat of the shared provisions of the brethren! Beloved, the needy in our midst would be fed, but they should also be taught how to work with their hands. This has been the tradition of the Church from the very beginning (2 Thessalonians 3:6 & 10). Some people are so selective that they claim there are no job opportunities, whereas there are jobs they can do to earn a living. Their problem is that they are looking for certain “white collar jobs” which may not be available. The truth is, if you are not able to find work in your profession or chosen trade, you can try your hands at other things. Learn from Paul the lawyer who laboured as a tent maker to earn a living when the churches he had planted were not strong enough to bear the cost of his missionary work (Acts 22:3, Acts 18:3). One of my sons told the story of a young lady who was feeding from the church. When he tried to get her a cleaning job at the Redemption Camp, she rejected it, saying the job was not dignifying enough. Ironically, cleaners were among those contributing to the purse where her needs were being met. May you never underrate the door of opportunity God opens to you in Jesus’ Name.
Open Heaven 24 July 2019 Wednesday Prayer Point:
Father, give me the wisdom, contentment and sincerity of heart needed to mind my business, in Jesus’ Name.
Open Heaven 24 July 2019 Wednesday Hymn 1: There Shall Be Showers Of Blessings
1 There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Chorus:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
2 There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
3 There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.
4 There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!
5 There shall be showers of blessing,
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have His way.
