Winning Ways -- Hillcrest Baptist Church

Your Work Matters to God
by Tom Goodman
November 6, 2013

Maybe you bowed your head for a quick word of thanks over your bowl of cereal this morning. But have you ever thought of all the people God employed to get those flakes on your spoon?

He used farmers to plant and cultivate. He used employees at companies that supply the equipment farmers need, and bankers who arranged the financing for these businesses. He used scientists who check the food for purity. He used plant operators who processed the grain into crispy flakes. He used manufacturers of the trucks that get the boxed-up cereal to market, and the truckers who drive, and the truck stop operators who make their routes possible. He used the engineers who designed the highway, and the laborers who laid down all those miles of road work. He even used the humble pallet makers who hammered together sturdy wood strips to make it easier for the fork lift drivers (whom God also used) to unload the boxes of cereal at the delivery dock of your grocery store. And then there's the high school student who stocked the shelves and the clerk who scanned your selection at check out.

God used a lot of people to get breakfast to your table this morning.

Your work, too, is a vital part of this vast, complex system God directs to meet the needs of this world. Because of that, God is as interested in the quality of your work as he is the quality of your prayers. Life in God's kingdom is more than a daily quiet time and weekend attendance at a church service. Life in God's kingdom also means drilling supply wells, debugging code, administering medicine, keeping a building clean and sanitary, teaching math . . . .

Well, you get the picture. Your work matters to God.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Paul wrote, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."

Be ambitious to live quietly. A fascinating combination of words!

This is a text worthy of deeper study, so come this Sunday and let's dig into it. It's part of our new series, "Still: Stable Faith in Unstable Times." Join us @ 10!

--Tom

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Winning Ways - from Hillcrest Baptist Church, Austin, Texas	Contact Tom Goodman, Pastor
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Your Work Matters to God by Tom Goodman November 6, 2013 Maybe you bowed your head for a quick word of thanks over your bowl of cereal this morning. But have you ever thought of all the people God employed to get those flakes on your spoon? He used farmers to plant and cultivate. He used employees at companies that supply the equipment farmers need, and bankers who arranged the financing for these businesses. He used scientists who check the food for purity. He used plant operators who processed the grain into crispy flakes. He used manufacturers of the trucks that get the boxed-up cereal to market, and the truckers who drive, and the truck stop operators who make their routes possible. He used the engineers who designed the highway, and the laborers who laid down all those miles of road work. He even used the humble pallet makers who hammered together sturdy wood strips to make it easier for the fork lift drivers (whom God also used) to unload the boxes of cereal at the delivery dock of your grocery store. And then there's the high school student who stocked the shelves and the clerk who scanned your selection at check out. God used a lot of people to get breakfast to your table this morning. Your work, too, is a vital part of this vast, complex system God directs to meet the needs of this world. Because of that, God is as interested in the quality of your work as he is the quality of your prayers. Life in God's kingdom is more than a daily quiet time and weekend attendance at a church service. Life in God's kingdom also means drilling supply wells, debugging code, administering medicine, keeping a building clean and sanitary, teaching math . . . . Well, you get the picture. Your work matters to God. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11 Paul wrote, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." Be ambitious to live quietly. A fascinating combination of words! This is a text worthy of deeper study, so come this Sunday and let's dig into it. It's part of our new series, "Still: Stable Faith in Unstable Times." Join us @ 10! --Tom Beacon Articles Available Online: The staff newsletters that appear each week in the Beacon are also available on our website. You can find them here. Check out my weblog here. Do you know friends who would appreciate Winning Ways? Just forward this e-mail to them! Have you subscribed to Winning Ways? You can subscribe by clicking here and following the instructions. Your e-mail address will not be sold or given away to anyone, and you can automatically change your subscription or drop it by following the easy steps provided with each e-mail. FRESH NEWS AT HILLCREST UPDATED WEEKLY: www.hillcrestaustin.org LISTEN TO RECENT SERMONS: Click here. MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS TO OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTERS: Click here. If you do not have access to the web, please send a note to newsmaster@hbcaustin.org to tell us of any changes you would like to make.