GOD’S WAYS WORK EVERY-TIME!
By Pastor Ralph M. Wells
Good morning, another beautiful, but hot day beginning here in Lapu-Lapu City.
As I look at the works of God in all that surrounds me it reminds me of what God said as He created it all, in Genesis 1it says, “God saw that it was good.” (Verses 10, 12, 18, 21 and 25); God had made things, done a work if you will, and He was very satisfied with what He had accomplished.
That brings me to today’s verse, “For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.” (Psalm 128:2)
That verse causes me to reflect on things I have done over the years; such as working in the hay as a teenager; that was hard work but it brought me great satisfaction and happiness, especially on Saturday evening when the boss handed me “the fruit of my labor” in the form of my paycheck!
And it was the same with all of my “labors” throughout my life; my 20+ years on active duty in the Navy brought me great satisfaction and much happiness; and, it provided fruit of my labor for me and my family.
Working as a BMET at Glen County Hospital in California and Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus in Baltimore MD gave me a lot of personal satisfaction.
And, of course, the most satisfying has been and still is my “work” as a pastor.
You see, God wired us that way!
Thus, accomplishment is in and of itself quite satisfying.
But all of this has a point, and my point is based on this scripture, “By much slothfulness the building decays; and through idleness of the hands the house drops through.” (Ecclesiastes 10:18)
So consider this, welfare began under FDR in 1935; but it became what we know today in 1962 thanks to JFK.
And what has it produced?
One after another it produced failed projects, “through idleness of the hands the house drops through.”
And now we have 3rd and 4th generation welfare recipients.
Now the liberals tell us the reason they have repeatedly failed is where they have been constructed; so, they want to integrate them into communities in the suburbs!
But, that will work no better!
Why?
Solomon nailed it, “The desire of the slothful kills him; for his hands refuse to labor.” (Proverbs 21:25)
They do not work so they have no “labor of thine hands” so they are NEVER content.
And, in one way or another, malcontents destroy everything around them!
Consider Colonel Saito to Colonel Nicholson in Bridge on the River Kwai, “Be happy in your work.”
You see, even that Japanese POW camp commander understood that even a prisoner is happier working than sitting around idle and brooding. Or, as my dear old Granny used to say, “Idle hands are the devils workshop; but busy hands are happy hands.”
We will NEVER make people happy by providing everything for them! But, give them a means by which they can raise themselves up; and watch them grow in satisfaction and happiness!
I will close with this illustration.
In the 1980’s a friend of mine was pastor of an inner church in Tacoma WA; mostly among the projects. He divided a plan whereby the single Mom’s in his church drew lots and one was sent to Tacoma Community College.
Two years later she received her AA in Business Administration; got a job; and when she received her first paycheck before she deposited it she stood up in church held up her check and said, “This is the first paycheck anyone in my family has earned in three generations!”
The pastor continued the program by sending two more Moms to school. We lost contact; but, knowing the man of God he was, I am certain he continued it!
My conclusion; God’s ways work EVERY time! ~ Baruch HaShem Adonai
By Pastor Ralph M. Wells
Good morning, another beautiful, but hot day beginning here in Lapu-Lapu City.
As I look at the works of God in all that surrounds me it reminds me of what God said as He created it all, in Genesis 1it says, “God saw that it was good.” (Verses 10, 12, 18, 21 and 25); God had made things, done a work if you will, and He was very satisfied with what He had accomplished.
That brings me to today’s verse, “For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.” (Psalm 128:2)
That verse causes me to reflect on things I have done over the years; such as working in the hay as a teenager; that was hard work but it brought me great satisfaction and happiness, especially on Saturday evening when the boss handed me “the fruit of my labor” in the form of my paycheck!
And it was the same with all of my “labors” throughout my life; my 20+ years on active duty in the Navy brought me great satisfaction and much happiness; and, it provided fruit of my labor for me and my family.
Working as a BMET at Glen County Hospital in California and Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus in Baltimore MD gave me a lot of personal satisfaction.
And, of course, the most satisfying has been and still is my “work” as a pastor.
You see, God wired us that way!
Thus, accomplishment is in and of itself quite satisfying.
But all of this has a point, and my point is based on this scripture, “By much slothfulness the building decays; and through idleness of the hands the house drops through.” (Ecclesiastes 10:18)
So consider this, welfare began under FDR in 1935; but it became what we know today in 1962 thanks to JFK.
And what has it produced?
One after another it produced failed projects, “through idleness of the hands the house drops through.”
And now we have 3rd and 4th generation welfare recipients.
Now the liberals tell us the reason they have repeatedly failed is where they have been constructed; so, they want to integrate them into communities in the suburbs!
But, that will work no better!
Why?
Solomon nailed it, “The desire of the slothful kills him; for his hands refuse to labor.” (Proverbs 21:25)
They do not work so they have no “labor of thine hands” so they are NEVER content.
And, in one way or another, malcontents destroy everything around them!
Consider Colonel Saito to Colonel Nicholson in Bridge on the River Kwai, “Be happy in your work.”
You see, even that Japanese POW camp commander understood that even a prisoner is happier working than sitting around idle and brooding. Or, as my dear old Granny used to say, “Idle hands are the devils workshop; but busy hands are happy hands.”
We will NEVER make people happy by providing everything for them! But, give them a means by which they can raise themselves up; and watch them grow in satisfaction and happiness!
I will close with this illustration.
In the 1980’s a friend of mine was pastor of an inner church in Tacoma WA; mostly among the projects. He divided a plan whereby the single Mom’s in his church drew lots and one was sent to Tacoma Community College.
Two years later she received her AA in Business Administration; got a job; and when she received her first paycheck before she deposited it she stood up in church held up her check and said, “This is the first paycheck anyone in my family has earned in three generations!”
The pastor continued the program by sending two more Moms to school. We lost contact; but, knowing the man of God he was, I am certain he continued it!
My conclusion; God’s ways work EVERY time! ~ Baruch HaShem Adonai