Stephen Altrogge over at the Blazing Center posted an article on work a while back.  Hopefully it is encouraging in the battle to live for Christ where He has called us to be today.

When I was in high school, I couldn’t wait until college. Then I got to college and realized that spending your weekends writing ten page papers wasn’t ranked real high in the fun category, somewhere close to cleaning public restrooms or scraping roadkill off from the highway. So I couldn’t wait to get out of college and into the real world, the working world. But then I got a real job working in a real cubicle for a real eight hours a day, wearing a real shirt and tie, and coming home really tired every night. So that wasn’t so cool either. But at least I still had the weekends! The corporate vampire could suck the life out of me five days a week, but it couldn’t steal the glorious weekend. Saturday and Sunday were mine, all mine!

But weekends never really panned out either. One minute it would Friday night, and approximately thirty seconds later it would be Monday morning, and there I would be, stepping back into my sensory deprivation chamber (a.k.a. cubicle - credit Dilbert for that one). It all seemed so mundane, so “turn your mind into tapioca pudding” boring! I never was content. During the week I wanted the weekends. During the weekends I dreaded the week.

A man named Jim Elliot spoke to people like me. He said, “Wherever you are — be there 100%” Well, that stings a bit. More importantly, scripture spoke to people like me. In Colossians 3:23-24 Paul said, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

God calls us to serve him wholeheartedly in whatever situation he has placed us. That was my big problem. I was at work, but I usually wasn’t there with all my heart. I was in high school, but I wanted to be in college. I always was looking for bigger, and better things, rather than simply serving the Lord 100% where he currently had me. I went to class, but I wasn’t there 100%.

I want to emulate Jim Elliot, and obey the scriptures, by working heartily for the Lord in whatever circumstances he places me. I want to serve as a husband, and a dad, and pastoral intern, with all my heart. Why? Because ultimately I’m working for the Lord, and I’ll receive my reward from the Lord.

What “mundane” circumstances has God placed you in? Mom’s, does it seem like all you do all day every day is change diapers and clean up baby vomit? Do it with all your heart, for the Lord! You’ll be richly rewarded if you do. College students, does the thought of one more term paper tempt you to hurl your laptop out the window? It shouldn’t, if you realize that you are working for the Lord. Throw yourself into your studies. Husbands, are you sick of your job? Remember who you’re working for. Ultimately, Jesus Christ is your boss. Your work for him, and he’s the one who will reward you.

Lord, teach us to cherish each season of life as a gift from you. Help us to work heartily for you, rather than men. Teach us to glorify you in the mundane!

The following exhortation is from Justin Buzzard over at the Buzzard Blog. A good reminder.

What bad habits have you let creep into your life that you now need to starve and kill?

What fresh good habits do you need to begin putting in place?

I was recently reminded of the power of our habits by this old proverb:

Sow an action; reap a habit.
Sow a habit; reap a character.
Sow a character; reap a destiny.

Rooted in a robust understanding of the gospel, I encourage you to reflect on this proverb in light of the bad habits you need to starve and the good habits you need to feed.

As elders we are continuing to work our way through “How People Change,” by Paul Tripp.  Excellent, gospel-centered material that every one of us would highly recommend.  Here is a quote from the chapter we read last night.

Never a day goes by when we do not to do what Christ has enabled us to do.  Despite all of the gifts flowing from our union with Christ, sin still remains in us.  That’s the reason you need to know that Jesus has broken the power of sin– because its presence still remains!  We should not be shocked that the war still rages inside us.  We have been changed, we have been empowered, but we have not yet been perfected.

What do you do when you sin and fail?  Do you excuse and rationalize?  Do you wallow in self-defeating guilt and regret?  The cross calls you away from both responses.  It gives you the freedom to admit your sin and repent.  It is impossible for your sin to shock the One who died because of it.  The Cross also gives you the freedom to seek and receive forgiveness each time you fall.  We do not have to carry the sins Christ took on himself.  He paid the price we could not pay so that we would never have to pay it again.

When you fail, keep Jesus and his work in view.  Run to your Lord, not away from him.  Receive his forgiveness, get back up, and follow him once more, knowing that each time you fail, you can experience your identity as one for whom Christ died.  Each failure reminds us of why he had to die;  each confession reminds us of the forgiveness that only the Cross could provide. (page 175)

The following interviews with J.I. Packer on work and vocation were posted by Justin Taylor over at Between Two Worlds.

How do we offer our everyday work to God?

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What does God say about vocation? Popout

How can Christians view their daily work as worship?
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As promised here is the second in the series on work and vocation.  I had previously cited the article by Justin Taylor for the New Attitude website entitled “Thank God for Work Pt. 1“.  The following excerpts are from part 2, “Thank God for Work Pt. 2.”  If you have time read the whole thing.

On how to work for the glory of God.

John Piper, in an excellent chapter of Don’t Waste Your Life on glorifying Christ in work, writes about the essence of God-glorifying human work: “it is done (1) in conscious reliance on God’s power, and (2) in conscious quest of God’s pattern of excellence, and (3) in deliberate aim to reflect God’s glory” (p. 141, my italics and numbering).

On how to determine your calling.

The first thing we need to consider is the vocation itself. Is this vocation allowable from a biblical perspective?

The second thing to do is to make sure not to treat this as a “just God and me” thing. Determining a calling should not be a Lone Ranger project. What gifts, talents, and abilities are others observing in you? Are you inviting their constructive feedback and observations? Are you involved in a local church and seeking to serve others?

Third, where do your interests lie? What area of study or sphere of life makes you the most excited and energized? What makes you feel depleted and discouraged?

Fourth, what doors are opening? Which ones are shutting? Be on the lookout for opportunities.

Fifth, don’t be paralyzed by the bondage of guidance. Pray with your eyes open and seek the counsel of your church. And then at some point—you need to make a move in faith.

This Sunday we will be gathering to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior. Here are the details for the service.

Location-

Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn

Time-

9:30am for a light breakfast (bring something to share), 10am for service

Childcare-

Childcare will be provided from 1 1/2 to 6 years old (kids ages 3 and up will be hearing a lesson on the resurrection)

This is one holiday when a lot of people are looking for a church to go to. What an awesome opportunity to bring our friends and neighbors to hear the gospel preached.

May God save souls for His glory through this time!

The following article was posted over at the New Attitude website. It is a narrative of the crucifixion in a more modern style combining various sources of information. You can hear the author, Rick Gamache, read the narrative here. It is quite compelling and I highly recommend reading it as you take extra time to reflect on the crucifixion this week.

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Jesus is bowed and bloody. 110 pounds of lumber is strapped across his shoulders. The weight of the rough wood proves too much as it grinds against the lacerations left by the Roman scourging. Pain explodes like light in Jesus’ brain. And he crumples under the beam.

When he comes to, Jesus feels somehow weightless and he realizes that the wooden crossbeam has been cut from his back. Another man is carrying it now, a dark man whose face he cannot see. But he sees the face of another.

Mercifully, a Roman centurion bends and takes Jesus under the arm to lift him gently to his feet again. Jesus looks up and holds the soldier captive in his gaze. The victim’s eyes do not pierce the centurion with the hatred he expects. Instead he finds love in those eyes. Love mingled with pain, yes – brokenhearted love – but love nonetheless. And not a love excited by a mere act of kindness. This love preceded the moment. This love preceded his existence. This love preceded the existence of the world. Somehow the centurion knows that these are the eyes of Eternal Love. (more…)

The following is bulk of an article entitled “Let These Results of the Resurrection Revive Your Passion for His Supremacy Over All Things.” The title alone lets you know it is written by John Piper and what it is basically about. Enjoy.

As Easter approaches, let’s stir up our thankfulness and joy and admiration and amazement at what the resurrection of Jesus means for us. The curse of our fallen nature is that what once thrilled us becomes ordinary. The reality hasn’t changed. We have changed.

This is why the Bible exists. Peter says of his two letters that they are written to “stir up” or “arouse” by means of “reminder.”

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder. (2 Peter 3:1)

So let’s stir up our sincere minds by way of reminder.

What has God done in raising Jesus from the dead? Here are a few biblical answers.

Because of the resurrection of Jesus, death will never have any dominion over him again.

Romans 6:9: “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.”

Acts 13:34: “He raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption.” (more…)