Philippians 2:1-11, By keeping your bump of self-esteem well poulticed (12/12/17)
Jesus had so much esteem for your salvation than he gave up his own position in the Godhead for your sake. We all have a “bump of self-esteem,” and that’s fine, but we should value our neighbors even more than ourselves.
Luke 13:10-17, By resolving to be straight – not a stoop-shouldered Christian (12/13/17)
Stay out of the clutches of Satan and stand up straight! It’s hard to do God’s work while you’re looking downward.
- Reader Comment: It is also impossible to look ahead and see the good things that God has in front of you when you keep looking down at the ground because you are angry or ashamed.
Proverbs 16:17, 18:2, 21:20, 21:23, 28:19, By giving a wide berth to questionable worldly amusements (12/14/17)
The Bible is not against dancing – David danced before the ark. It’s not against makeup – Ruth anointed herself and got dressed up to go meet Boaz. It’s not against parties – Jesus liked parties. What the Bible warns us against is foolishly spending money that is better used to support ourselves and our families, or hanging out with people who are going to get us into trouble, or wasting time when we should be doing God’s work.
Exodus 34:29; Matthew 17:2; Matthew 5:14-16, By letting your face shine. It will if you will let it (12/15/17)
Does your face shine when you are doing God’s work? Let it shine.
Luke 24:50-53, By going to Church Sunday evenings as well as mornings (12/18/17)
Christmas is a time of great joy for most of us (some of us are suffering, so don’t forget to pray for them), and we do go to church morning and evening on Sunday. In the morning we go to worship, and in the evening we go to a Christmas program. Maybe in the coming year we could go twice in some other week as well?
Acts 8:26-35, By speaking a good word for the League when occasion offers (12/19/17)
Remember that we are working through all the suggestions from a 19th-century bookmark called “Get Ready for Work,” that is, God’s work. Honestly, I have no idea what 19th-century “League” we are supposed to speak a good word for, but it reminded me that Philip was always ready to speak a good word about the Good News. Get ready for work by studying scripture.
Exodus 35:20-28, 36:5-7, By making a generous pledge toward current expenses (12/20/17)
Many amazing miracles are recorded in the Bible, but for my money, the most amazing thing in the entire book is that the Israelites brought so many offerings for the building of the Tabernacle that they had to be told to stop! Get your congregation ready for God’s work by making a generous pledge.
Ezra 1:1-6, By hearty co-operation in all legitimate church doings (12/21/17)
The exiles who returned to Jerusalem planned to rebuild the temple, and the exiles who stayed in Babylon provided money and supplies. You can co-operate in your church’s endeavors with time and effort, supplies, or money. Or by showing up for the children’s Christmas pageant even if you don’t have children in it.
1 Corinthians 16:1-4, By planning liberal things for the church benevolences (12/22/17)
There’s two ways to pay your pledge: the hard way and the easy way. The hard way is to put it off until December, and catch up in one big lump right at Christmas. Ouch! The easy way is to put in a small amount each Sunday. Do God’s work throughout the year by planning ahead.
Psalms 119:9-16, By showing a warm side toward the Sunday school of our church (12/25/17)
I’m in Sunday worship for 50 or more weeks of the year, but it’s in Sunday School that I learn the most about God’s word. It’s also my Sunday School class that brings food when I’m sick in body or soul, my Sunday School class that has a Christmas party, and my Sunday School class that I turn to for prayers for myself, my family, or my friends. Get ready for God’s work by being part of a Sunday School class.
Merry Christmas! And remember that Ps. 119 is an acrostic, and in Hebrew, each of today’s verses start with beth, the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Exodus 16:1-8, By refusing to criticize the pastor in the presence of your family (12/26/17)
I want superpowers for my pastor. I want a pastor who can preach to the comfortable and the afflicted and teach the old and the young – every Sunday. I want a pastor who can lead the choir – and sing in it. I want a pastor who visits all the sick and lonely parishioners daily. I want an administrator! I want a leader! And meantime, I want him to cook for me and my family! What I’ve got is a pastor who loves our church and is doing everything he can with the powers God has given him. Don’t criticize your pastor in the presence of your family or in public.
1 Corinthians 8:1-13, By making large allowance for the idiosyncrasies of your brethren (12/27/17)
I was with a friend at the ER from noon until midnight; your morning reading was a casualty.
I need to remember that not only is my pastor doing the best he can, but the members of my congregation are also doing the best they can. If you think some of your fellow parishioners have odd ideas about the Bible, or church, or God, or the weather, make allowances for their idiosyncrasies. Who knows? Maybe that will encourage them to make allowances for yours!
Matthew 22:15-22, By praying and paying in proper proportion and with due regularity (12/28/17)
Probably the pastor who wrote this guide on how to get ready for God’s work had in mind that we should worship God and pay our church tithe regularly. However, here’s a little incident in which Jesus demands that we worship God and pay our taxes regularly. We are amazed, right along with the Pharisees and Herodians.
Galatians 3:27-29, By tempering your denominational loyalty with broad Christian liberality (12/29/17)
I’m roughly an eighth generation Methodist; sometimes I’ll teach some point for 30 years and only then discover that it is exactly what John Wesley taught. But still, I try to temper my denominational loyalty by remembering that there is neither Methodist nor Baptist, Episcopalian nor Pentecostal, Catholic nor Protestant, but all are one in Christ Jesus.
Be safe this New Year’s Eve!
1 Peter 2:19-20; 3:9-20, 4:14, By being proof against the dumps even though criticized adversely (1/1/18)
If you are criticized fairly, change your ways without being spiteful about it. If you are criticized or punished unfairly, keep a cheerful and kind spirit in your heart. Remember to follow the example of Christ in all things in 2018, and you will have a Happy New Year whatever comes. You might even find opportunities to bring the good news to people wondering about the source of your happiness.
1 Corinthians 12:4-20, By being willing to do service in the ranks if the church does not see fit to make you a major-general (1/2/18)
I have a friend who is a self-proclaimed non-singer (and I believe it), and I know he could never teach a Sunday School class or lead Bible study. However, the Spirit has given him a powerful gift: his depth of faith and of faithfulness to the church and his friends amazes and inspires me. You have a gift from the Spirit, and it’s important to your congregation and to God. Put it to use in the kingdom.
Ephesians 6:1-10, By doing all, both in word and deed, in the name of the Lord Jesus and only for his glory (1/3/18)
You can only do God’s work by being kind to people. Parents and children should be polite to each other. Workers and bosses should treat each other as if they were serving Christ directly. Remember how I’m always telling you to check 10 verses before and after? This passage actually runs from Ephesians 5:18 to 6:10. The end of Chapter 5, about husbands and wives, is an integral part of this discussion: they should treat each other with love and respect, exactly as they would treat Christ. When in doubt, treat everyone the way you would treat Jesus, and you’ll be fine.
Numbers 15:37-41, Use this slip for a book mark in your Bible (1/4/18)
I don’t know about you, but unless I write something on my calendar, I don’t do it. If I don’t write myself a note, I forget. God actually knew this about us. The LORD says, “Make yourself a reminder so that you remember to do what I have told you!”
The work habits for this study originally came in the form of a bookmark, which I think is a great idea. I’m attaching a pdf document (click here) that you may print out.
Proverbs 3:1-8, Mentally stick a pin in the hints you need most to remember (1/5/18)
My mom used to write little notes to herself, but she didn’t need to look at them. She just put them in her pocket, and whenever she put her hand in her pocket, she would remember what was on the note. That was her method of “mentally sticking a pin” into the things she needed to remember. I hope this study of “Getting Ready for Work” has produced at least one hint that you can use; however, if you love God and love your neighbor, you won’t ever have to remember anything else.
More of Get Ready for Work
Get Ready for Work – Part 1
Get Ready for Work – Part 2
Copyright 2018, 2021 by Regina L. Hunter. All rights reserved. This page has been prepared for the web site by RPB.
Opinions expressed on this page are solely those of the author, Regina Hunter, and may or may not be shared by the sponsors or the Bible-study participants. Thanks to the Holy Spirit for any useful ideas presented here, and thanks to all the readers for their support and enthusiasm. All errors are, of course, the sole responsibility of the author.
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