You Work Your Whole Life, Have Something To Show For It!

I started working in full-time ministry when I was 16 years old. For twelve years, I didn't know anything else except for working to make our church better. Then things happened and I had to begin work out in the secular world. I eventually found employment in an aluminum press as a Quality Assistant. It was a drastic change from what I was used to!

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a shock for me to have to do “real” work. I have never had problems with manual labor, and the work load here was not what I had a problem with. My problem was simply an issue of significance. You see, I often found myself thinking things like, “My work used to change lives – now I just inspect parts for office furniture!” I had lost my sense of purpose...and I needed to understand why I was where I was.

For the next few months, God dealt with me about a believer's role in their secular workplace. He took me through Scripture and pointed out why He had me there and what my goals should really be. As I learned from Him, I began to realize that not many Christians in the workplace knew these things or had the right attitude about their employment.

Why should we as believers work for someone else – someone who is probably not a believer, and who may not even be a decent person? When we ask this, it's a question of motive. We're not really asking about how we should work; that's something that will be taken care of when we learn about why we're working. At the risk of giving away the ending...money is the least of your reasons!

So what are we in the workplace for?

#1 - Proverbs 25:13 “Trustworthy messengers refresh like snow in summer. They revive the spirit of their employer.” Bosses throughout this country are having a drought of trustworthy employees. They can't seem to find anyone who understands that they're being paid to work. They're being burned out by workers that don't work, or who work half-heartedly, or who constantly complain about the work they have to do. Christian, don't be that person! Work to refresh your employer!

Your primary goal at your job is to benefit your boss and your company. Of all their employees, you should be the one who has their best interests in mind. You should want your boss to succeed! You should want your company to prosper! You should be praying for the peace of your employers. You need to have the same attitude towards your place of work that God told His people to have in Jeremiah 29:7 - “And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.” When you work – your first priority is to help your company succeed!

#2 – Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses...” Another goal to have in your workplace is to “do the work of an evangelist.” (2 Timothy 4:5) If we're called to preach the Gospel to the world, why would you complain about being around worldly people all day? Use your place of work and your relationships with your coworkers as springboards to reach the lost!

Keep in mind, this should never be at the expense of your own workload. If you can talk about Jesus while you're working – go for it. But if it's going to affect your quality of work, then wait for lunch time! We already said this once, but your primary goal there is to refresh the spirit of your boss by being faithful to your responsibilities. If you should get a reputation of ignoring what you're supposed to be doing to talk about Jesus, then people will simply shut you off.

One thing I made sure of when I started my job was to get a reputation as a worker first – before I told anyone that I was a believer. Do you know what happened? As people saw me working – before I had told anyone about who I was – I had people coming to me to ask things like “where do you go to church?” If you live the life you're supposed to live at work, you won't surprise people when you tell them about your faith!

#3 – Proverbs 27:2 “Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth...” I used to shy away from praise for a job well done. Not anymore! I have gotten to the place where I welcome it! Why? Is it to feed my ego or inflate my self-esteem? Not at all!

I know why I have always worked harder than I need to. I know why I've always been motivated to improve my workplace. And I know why I've caught the attention of my bosses...and it's not my fault! It's God's grace that gives the power and ability that produces things from my work! 1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” It's not me that's gaining this praise, it's the grace of God working in me!

I work to get praised. Does that sound conceited to you? Let me explain myself then. Anytime someone tells me how impressed they are by what I do, anytime someone says “good job!”, and anytime I catch my bosses eye – I have more praise to give My Heavenly Father! I take that praise, that acclamation, that promotion, and that recognition and lay it down at His feet. As I do this, I proclaim “Look at what Your grace has done!” This is what Ephesians 1:6 calls “the praise of the glory of His grace.”

#4 – Colossians 3:22-24 “Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” We may have an earthly boss – but that's not the one that we're working for! True, we're there to minister to them and refresh them – but we do this because our real Boss told us to! We work to serve Jesus, and our real reward will come from Him!

Ephesians 6:5-8 “Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.”

We will stand before the throne of Jesus to receive rewards for what we do here on earth...including how we handled our employment. In light of this, does it really matter how much they're paying you to do your job? In light of eternal rewards, what does the difference between $10 and $20 per hour matter? Jesus will one day look at how I do my job and hand out His reward...that's the payday that I'm working for!

#5 – Ephesians 4:28 “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.”

Speaking of payday – we do have a responsibility with our money! It's the least of our motives, but we do work for money. But it's not about earning money to store up for ourselves. We work for money in the same way we work for praise – so that we have it to give! Pay raises come naturally as a reward for diligent work. But that money comes in so you can give it out.

Our goal with our paycheck is to earn more so we can give more. Whether it's in the form of the tithe to your church, supporting a ministry that's doing a great work, or helping families in need – God blesses generous people!

Our goals in the workplace are simple:
#1 – We are there to refresh our employer
#2 – We are there to be a witness to a captive audience
#3 – We are there to earn praise that we turn back to God's grace
#4 – We work to obtain an eternal reward from our real boss – Jesus!
#5 – We earn a paycheck so we can have something to give

As believers, let's not get caught up in the attitude of the world concerning our job. You're there because God picked you to be there. Let's keep our eyes on what really matters!

For Everyone Who Thinks They Love Jesus

So you think that you're in love with Jesus? You think, because you go to church and get emotional during the worship songs once a week, that your relationship with Him is ok? Do you believe that His grace covers everything you do? Well, let's see if that's the case! After all, 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified." There are a few tests in the book of 1 John that every believer needs to apply to their life.

The first test can be seen in verses 6 and 7 of chapter 1...
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.^"

You can claim that you're walking in the light, but walking in the light equals fellowship with other believers. If you're not in consistent fellowship with other believers - if you think you can be an island to yourself - then you're not walking in the light and you're lying if you say you have fellowship with Jesus. 

Remember this equation: unbroken fellowship with Jesus = unbroken fellowship with other believers.

The second test is in chapter 2, verses 3 through 6
"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.^"

You can't claim to know Jesus if you're not doing what He said! In this passage, John is basically repeating what Jesus told him in John 14:15 ("If you love me, keep my commandments."), John 14:21 ("He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me."), and John 15:10 ("If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.").

Jesus gave us the way to measure our love for Him: love = obedience.

Does God's grace forgive us when we don't obey? Of course - but that isn't the extent of His grace! If we are truly in grace, then we won't stay in sin! God's grace also teaches us to leave sin behind (Titus 2:12) and empowers us to do what's right (Hebrews 12:28). If you're using grace as an excuse for sin - you do not love Jesus!

A third test can be seen in chapter 3, verse 14
"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death."

You can't say that you have a new life in Jesus if you're nursing a grudge against one of your brothers or sisters. If you refuse to forgive another believer, if you still feel even a hint of hatred in your heart toward them - you're still in death, not life.

But, lest you get confused about what kind of love you should have, John goes on to clarify the type of love we should have for our brothers and sisters. A lot of people know John 3:16 - but very few people know 1 John 3:16 - "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

As completely as Jesus gave Himself for us, we are commanded to give ourselves to our brothers and sisters. Does Jesus hold you at arm's length when you sin against Him? Would He avoid you in Walmart if He saw you? Do you think He ever has a smirk on His face when He talks about you?

If anyone had a right to be angry and hold a grudge against us, it was Jesus! But He gave up His rights and laid down His life for us. This is the kind of love we're called to have for our brothers and sisters. Whether we feel like it or not, whether they deserve it or not, we must love anyone who is of the household of faith. You don't have a choice, my friend - this is the price of living in the light!

So there are three tests. There are more throughout first John - but how do you measure up to these three?

Do you stay in fellowship with other believers or have you isolated yourself?

Do you obey God's Word or do you try to use His grace to excuse what you know is wrong?

Do you love other believers and give up your rights for theirs, or are you still nursing anger and unforgiveness toward someone?

You can't get around this! This is how you know!

The Life Of A Believer - Craving

Numbers 11:4-6 “Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. ‘Oh, for some meat!’ they exclaimed. ‘We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!’”

For a believer, the Israelites’ time in the wilderness is symbolic of the spirit’s struggle with the flesh. From their first test of faith at Marah, to their desire to have a god that fit their convenience, they were always their own worst enemies.

In Numbers 11, their ugly side began to show again. It started among the mixture of people they had with them - the Egyptians that were impressed with the way God rescued Israel and followed them out to the wilderness. As they journeyed through the desert, these Egyptians began to crave their favorite foods from Egypt. Apparently this craving became a continuous topic of conversation and eventually the Israelites picked up on it. The miraculous provision that God poured out for them every morning became the object of complaint. They began to long for what they saw as the luxuries of Egypt; meat, fish, and a few vegetables. Ignoring the hardships of slavery, they began to dream of going back!

These complaints and cravings became rampant throughout the camp. Whenever two people talked to each other, this craving eventually wormed its way into the conversation. Whenever they came to see Moses, this was what they always brought up - we want meat to eat!

Finally, Moses got tired of dealing with their whining and moaning. Look at his conversation with God in verses 10-15, “Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. And Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”

Whatever complaints these people had, they weren’t valid. They were rescued from a harsh life of slavery and were on their way to a land of their own. Their lives weren’t in danger - it wasn’t as if they were starving. And even though they may have a temporary shortage of meat, they did have meat to eat. They raised their own livestock, so manna wasn’t all they had to eat! Their problem was their own craving.

These people wouldn’t stop craving the things of Egypt, so God gave them over to it. He said in verse 18, “Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, ‘Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.’ Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, ‘Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?’”

This is exactly what happened! God sent an enormous flock of quail. This flock covered the whole camp and extended for miles on either side of it. God held the birds fluttering about three feet above the ground. All the Israelites had to do was reach out and pull them out of the sky! No one gathered less than 30 pounds of meat - that is a lot of quail!

But this wasn’t a reward for their whining, it was a consequence of it. While they were gorging themselves, unrestrained in their craving, they began to die. Verse 33 says, “but while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.” Many people died and were buried there, all because they “yielded to intense craving” (verse 4 NKJV). When they moved on, they named that place Kibroth Hataavah - the graves of lust.

1 Corinthians 10:1-6 “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.”

Everything that happened to the Israelites after the Exodus happened as a spiritual example for us. The things they went through are a picture of what we go through on our spiritual journey. Some of these examples are good to follow, more of them are warnings to avoid. This is one of those warning.

We all had things that we really liked to do while we were in the world. It could be drinking, it could be partying, it could be pornography - it could be anything. Before we received salvation, we were slaves to all kinds of sin. But when we were rescued by Jesus, we were delivered from the power those sins had over us. Now we no longer have to submit to it. However, now we have to diligently remove any trace of our old life from our new one.

Our flesh will still desire, or crave, the things we once did. Sin is so sneaky! It will convince you to remember all the fun you had when you behaved that way - all the while forgetting the bondage you were in and the freedom you longed for! It will pant thoughts like: “Do you remember all the fun you had?” “Don’t you remember how good those tasted?” “You know, before you were saved, you didn’t feel bad about doing that!” If you don’t respond properly, you’ll find this thing worming its way deeper inside.

Eventually, if you don’t stop that craving (that lust), you’ll have the opportunity to go back to it. But just like there were consequences for the Israelites, there will be consequences for gratifying that lust. Stay away from that “meat”!

How should we respond to these ungodly cravings? The same way the Israelites should have - by focusing on what you have, not what you don’t have! These people had their freedom! They had a promise! They were being supernaturally provided for! If they would’ve filled up on what God gave them, they wouldn’t have hungered for what they used to eat. Remember, manna is symbolic of God’s Word - our spiritual food from Heaven. So...you’re answer to these cravings is to keep your nose inside the pages of your Bible.

Cut out those things in your life that are stirring up your lusts (like those Egyptians that were traveling with the Israelites) and replace their thoughts with what God’s word says! Whatever you do, never allow yourself to return to the things that held you in bondage!

Romans 6:16-18 “Don't you know that when you give yourselves to obey someone you become that person's slave? You can be slaves of sin. Then you will die. Or you can be slaves who obey God. Then you will live a godly life. You used to be slaves of sin. But thank God that with your whole heart you obeyed the teachings you were given! You have been set free from sin. You have become slaves to right living.”

The Life Of A Believer - Don't Be Surprised!

After the exodus came the wilderness. The wilderness should’ve have been a time of growth and trust. Israel knew God’s power - they witnessed it as He forced Egypt to release them. They watched His wonders when He split the Red Sea. They should’ve been excited that God was on their side and anticipating the promise He was bringing them to. But a mere three days later, they started something that would become a habit for them - whining.

Three days after leaving the shore of the Red Sea, they came to a place named Marah. They named it Marah because the water there was tainted and undrinkable. They should’ve trusted the God who delivered them, but instead they began to groan about the lack of water. Instead of seeing through faith, they allowed themselves to get discouraged. But God still provided for them and miraculously purified the water there. Then He gave the Israelites there these instructions: “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”

Two months later, and the Israelites began to complain about the lack of food. Once again, they should’ve trusted in God’s care for them and His power to protect and provide. But they started to reminisce about the “good times” in Egypt. God, in His mercy began to down bread for them. When they saw it, they had no idea what it was - it didn’t look like any bread they had ever seen. So they said “what is it?” And that’s how their bread got its name - Manna means “what is it?” God sent enough manna every day to feed the estimated 3 ½ million people for forty years!

Then they traveled into yet another place where there was no water. You would think they wouldn’t be surprised by that - after all, they’re in a desert. But somehow, they weren’t expecting that. They started their usual process of complaining by coming to Moses and saying, “We thought God cared for us! Well, is God with us or not?” By this time Moses was feeling the pressure and prayed, “God, what am I going to do with these people?” But God told Moses exactly what to do. He called all the people together around one of the many large rocks in the area, and struck it with his staff. Immediately the rock broke open and water gushed out - enough to support every one of them! Sadly, the name of that place became “Meribah” because the people contended with God.

While they moved on from Meribah, the Israelites were attacked by a group of marauders known as the Amalekites. I would imagine that they would’ve whined about that too, if God had given them time! Instead God immediately commissioned them to go fight. He sent Moses up to the top of the nearby mountain and Joshua commanded the army. As long as Moses lifted his hands, the Israelites won. But when he dropped them for fatigue, they began to turn back in defeat. So two of Moses’ close advisers, Aaron and Hur, stood by him and held his arms up until Israel had completely wiped out the Amalekites. God then issued a declaration of war against them and commissioned the Israelites to wipe them out.

So...if you remember, everything that happened to Israel serves as an example for us. Israel’s exodus and deliverance pictures our salvation and baptism. Immediately after our salvation comes a time when we learn faith and obedience. This is a time when we learn that our biggest enemy is our self-life - a time to subject ourselves to God’s will.

It’s important to realize that not every example the Israelites set is something to follow. In fact, most of it is a warning to stay away from what they did. Listen to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:1-5, “I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses.(In other words, they were all “saved”) All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.” Do you see that salvation isn’t the end, but the beginning of your Christian walk?

So let’s look at the example they set:

First Marah. Marah was where the reality first set in that their salvation didn’t mean immediate milk and honey. They realized that life could still be bitter, even when God was on their side. How many new believers fall away when they realize this? How many people come to Jesus with a anticipation that their life is immediately going to be fun and enjoyable - only to have their situations get worse? Their family thinks they’re nuts and abandons them, their old friends desert them, their spouse doesn’t understand their choice to serve God and argues with them....what’s going to happen? What every new believer needs to understand is that life will always be life. It is often bitter - but, when they hold to their faith, God can turn it sweet! Marah is the first test of faith.

Then came the Manna. Just like the Israelites had to learn to recognize their food, every believer needs to learn what their spiritual sustenance is. God’s Word is what will sustain the believer. A life inside its pages is a life of fullness. A life outside its covers is a life of spiritual starvation. Ironically, many Christians are still asking “what is it?” Is this the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God or isn’t it? Every believer needs to recognize what this book is and how necessary it is for them.

Meribah was there Israel’s doubt came out if full force. They loudly demanded, “Is God with us or not?” They could remember their salvation, but they weren’t sure about God’s continued presence with them. This is a common issue among new or immature believers. Every Christian can remember a time when they weren’t sure if God was still with them. We’ve all walked through Meribah - but it’s important to realize that God calls this kind of doubt contention. Why? Because He directly promised “I am with you always, even until the world ends.” Who are we to wonder if He’s with us? If you still find yourself walking through Meribah - answer it in faith, not doubt!

Finally, we come to Israel’s first battle. The Amalekites appear throughout the old Testament. Saul fought with them, David fought with them, and even Esther had to deal with an Amalekite - Haman! They are a picture of our fight with sin. That is every believer’s first battle. Just like the Israelites, we need to recognize that our victory doesn’t depend on us. They looked to Moses on the mountain; we look to our Savior, Jesus! Romans 7:24-25 gives us the key to victory in our battle with sin; “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

These are four stages that every new believer will go through. Usually it doesn’t take them long to encounter each of them. We can succeed through each of them by standing in faith and staying in God’s Word!

Moving On

1 Corinthians 2:13-3:4
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

This passage lists the three different types of people in the world. Before you continue, go back and read those verses again, a little slower this time. Try to find the three people groups for yourself.

Did you find them? They are the natural man, the spiritual man, and the carnal man.

Natural men are the masses of unsaved people in the world’s system. According to this passage, they can’t receive or understand spiritual concepts. In their minds, our doctrines are simply crazy. These people are dead spiritually and controlled by their soul and by their flesh. Ephesians 4:17-19 gives a vivid description of the natural race - “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles [or unbelievers] walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

The answer for a natural man is found in John 3:7, “You must be born again.” The natural man can’t change his own nature. Only the power of God and faith in Jesus Christ can do that. Once they’re born again, they enter into the spiritual life - they become spiritual people. A spiritual person may not know everything, but they never stop learning and pursuing spiritual things. You see, that’s the main characteristic of spiritual people - they desire and pursue spiritual things. Colossians 3:1-2 describes their attitude towards everything in life, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Spiritual people don’t waste all their time doing natural things. The more they learn from God’s Word and the more they do what they know, the deeper into their spiritual walk they go.

Sadly, many believers aren’t spiritual people, but carnal. The carnal man is someone who has been born again (the people Paul called carnal in our first passage were obviously believers), but then spends all his time in the natural. Even though their spirit has been recreated, they’re still ruled by their soul - just like the natural man. If you remember, Jesus used pigs to illustrate the carnal man.

Read this next passage carefully. Romans 8:5-7 says, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, [set their minds on] the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is an enemy against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” When your mind is thinking carnal thoughts all the time, God calls it His enemy! Don’t be confused, carnal thoughts aren’t necessarily sinful or wicked. A carnal thought is any thought that doesn’t start with God and what He wants. According to the last phrase of verse 7, we’ll never be able to obey God when we have a carnal mind. But, when you set your mind and your desires on spiritual things (i.e. God’s Word, God’s people, and your eternity with Jesus), it brings life and peace!

There are two reasons for why a believer could be stuck in carnality.

First, they may never have been taught. There are myriads of churches in this nation that don’t spend any time in spiritual things. They may teach good life management skills (like how to manage your finances, how to treat your family, how to behave at work, and how to have a good attitude), but those are all natural things. Every believer needs to spend time in God’s Word to move into spirituality. If a believer is truly hungry for spiritual things, they’ll soon find out that there’s more to their Christian walk than what they’re being taught.

The other reason believers get caught in carnality is a little more serious. They were spiritual, they were learning, they were growing up in the Word of God - until they learned something that they didn’t want to do. As soon as they made the choice to ignore what they were taught, they began to slip into carnality. That little bit of disobedience is like yeast in a lump of dough (Galatians 5:9) - it spreads throughout the whole batch. Soon they’ll find themselves doing things they thought they’d never do! Why? Because when they stopped progressing spiritually, they began regressing carnally.

Carnality is a dangerous place for a believer to be. It’s a path that takes you backwards, not forwards. If you want to be a spiritual person, if you want to be used by God in a spiritual way, if you want the eternal rewards that are only given for spiritual things - you’ve got to grow beyond the natural realm. Listen to me, we will be rewarded for what we do in this life! What do you think will bring rewards, natural things or spiritual things? You only have around eighty years on earth to determine your eternal rewards - why would you waste all of your time doing natural things that won’t even matter tomorrow? It’s time to be spiritual people!