A Cure for Idleness

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord. Romans 12:11.
The life of Christ from His earliest years was a life of earnest activity. He lived not to please Himself. He was the Son of the infinite God, yet He worked at the carpenter’s trade with His father Joseph. His trade was significant. He had come into the world as the character builder, and as such all His work was perfect. Into all His secular labor He brought the same perfection as into the characters He was transforming by His divine power. He is our pattern.
It is the duty of every Christian to acquire habits of order, thoroughness, and dispatch. There is no excuse for slow bungling at work of any character. When one is always at work and the work is never done, it is because mind and heart are not put into the labor. The exercise of the will power will make the hands move deftly.
The Bible gives no indorsement to idleness. It is the greatest curse that afflicts our world. Every man and woman who is truly converted will be a diligent worker.
Upon the right improvement of our time depends our success in acquiring knowledge and mental culture. The cultivation of the intellect need not be prevented by poverty, humble origin, or unfavorable surroundings. Only let the moments be treasured. A few moments here and a few there, that might be frittered away in aimless talk; the morning hours so often wasted in bed; the time spent in traveling on trams or railway cars, or waiting at the station; the moments of waiting for meals, waiting for those who are tardy in keeping an appointment—if a book were kept at hand, and these fragments of time were improved in study, reading, or careful thought, what might not be accomplished. A resolute purpose, persistent industry, and careful economy of time, will enable men to acquire knowledge and mental discipline which will qualify them for almost any position of influence and usefulness.
The Faith I Live By p. 159
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray that God will guide my children in some important decisions they must soon make. Buck
—-Please pray that God will give Dave and Judy comfort as Dave’s brother passed. Rose
—-I’m requesting prayers for a young woman who went to the ER and was misdiagnosed with a virus and sent home. She started running a fever and became septic, she’s in intensive care now fighting for her life. Her mother is beside herself with worry. Becky
—-Please pray for Justin who had a head-on collision with a semi and has head injuries.
—-I’m asking for you all to pray for my brother who’s gonna have eye surgery at 9:00 a.m. today. Pray for everyone involved with procedure that God guide them in process. Roger
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Dear Friends,
Since June is the month of weddings, I thought I would again share the fifteen steps to a happy marriage.
Fifteen Steps to a Happy Marriage
1. Make Jesus the center of your life. Have morning and evening worship together each day as well as having your own private devotions. As you grow closer to Christ, you will draw closer to each other.
2. Communicate. Spend at least thirty minutes each day in meaningful conversation. Speak of your joys, sorrows, hopes for the future, and the happenings of the day while you were apart.
3. Problems will arise. You will not always view everything in the same light as will your mate. Sometimes he/she will embarrass you in front of others. This is normal. Remember you are from different backgrounds and what seems appropriate to one person may seem just the opposite to the other. When problems do arise, discuss the matter in private. Pray together before you start to discuss the problem. Study to see if the Bible says anything in regard to the subject. (If you feel yourself getting angry, stop the discussion immediately, pray, and resume the discussion later.)
4. Tell each other “I love you” every day. You might think that your marriage partner knows you love him/her, but he/she might be feeling very unloved and taken for granted. (This is a good rule to remember when you are blessed with children. Even teens need to know that you love them, even though they may not admit it.)
5. Never say unkind remarks. When you say an unkind word to your mate, it hurts him/her badly and the hurt doesn’t go away easily. Making your mate feel like he/she is worthless or your child causes a rift not easily mended. Even if he/she forgives you, the hurt is still there.
6. Never hit each other. Violence is not God’s way and will cause untold misery for both of you.
7. Be very tender in your intimate relations. Remember that there are holy angels watching even in your bedroom. If one of you is uncomfortable with something intimate, it would be better to avoid it than to push your desires onto the other one. There are many years ahead to spend with each other.
8. Do the finances together. By doing this, you both know what is available and can discuss purchases together. Make a budget and stick to it. As you use this budget for a few months, it may need to be revised. Revise the budget together to keep reminding yourself just what it entails.
9. Be honest with each other. For your future happiness, it is extremely important to tell each other, before marriage, the things in your past that may have a direct bearing on your life together.
10. Never be too proud to apologize and really mean it. Sometimes the only thing it would take to solve an argument is two little words: “I’m sorry.” Don’t be too proud to forgive. An apology is of no effect if it is not forgiven. Make it your policy never to go to bed angry with each other or until the argument is resolved and all is forgiven.
11. Don’t forget to cuddle. When sitting together, cuddling can make a couple bond more than most other activities. Just before you go to sleep, cuddle for a few minutes—-not for sex, but for the secure feeling that it brings.
12. Attend church together each week. Even if you move away and you aren’t familiar with the churches in your new area, make sure that you do not neglect this important part of your marriage. “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.” Heb 10:25
13. Stay true to your marriage vows. Over the years, you may find someone who seems attractive to you. Avoid this person as much as possible and remind yourself what made you fall in love with your partner in the first place. This is very important as being faithful to each other is the only way a marriage commitment will be successful.
14. Be best friends. Set aside a certain amount of time each week when you can spend time doing fun things together just like you did during your courtship. If you do have other friends, they should be someone that both of you feel comfortable with. Don’t value these friends more highly than you value your mate.
15. When children come. If and when you do start a family, make sure your children know they are not an inconvenience to you. Let them know that you are always there to help them. Set aside time for them. As they are growing up, set an example for them. Teach them about God and how they can become like Him. Remember, “By beholding we become changed”—that works with children too. When they grow up and move out of your home, keep in close contact with them and have a good and loving relationship with them even though they are miles away.
Rose