How do we view our place of work...or work in General

[phil36]

Well, thats another hard shift over, a few nice days off now. Talking of work and hard shifts, it reminded me of the Fall.

Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,˜You shall not eat of it, cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Genesis 3:17-19 (ESV).

In Light of work described in the Garden of Eden compared to the Scripture verses above, does that explain how we soemtimes feel about work now?

How should we view our work? take into consideration Paul's exhortation in Colossians:

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" (Col 3:23) ESV.

Hopefully this will not turn into a raging argument, but something for us all to have our say and help understand what is going on, and how we should view work.

Looking forward to a constructive and edifying topic conversation

Phil

You know, Phil, when you start a topic for conversation and then make the best argument for the topic you've just started, then it leaves little room for people to add to the conversation. In other words, I wholeheartedly agree with you, sir. God bless you until we can argue about something else!

[phil36]

Originally Posted by glenwood74

You know, Phil, when you start a topic for conversation and then make the best argument for the topic you've just started, then it leaves little room for people to add to the conversation. In other words, I wholeheartedly agree with you, sir. God bless you until we can argue about something else!

lol, I wrote it more, for discussion on how we as Brothers and sisters feel about work, how we can maybe help each other. do you have down days, did we realize why work was so hard etc. just discussion.

Thats why I wrote it that way as to avoid the usuall aruing Path.

anyhow glad you agree lol.

Just to add to that, how can we be a shining light in our own work place even during a bad day?

Phil

[1still_waters]

God put us to work right away. He made us work by ruling over the things of the Earth.

Genesis 1
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, [b] and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

Genesis 2
v 5 and there was no man to work the ground,

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

Colossians 3
17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

So yeah work has always been there, it's not the result of the curse. The only result of the curse is the pain and sweat.

I think as people who have been redeemed, we have access to a heavenly joy that can help relieve the pain we face.

So yes we work with the realities of the curse but as the redeemed we also have the ability to look ahead to the hope we get some day when Jesus comes back. We have the Spirit testifying with our spirit and praying for us and with us as we toil.

Romans 8
18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that[i] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

[1still_waters]

Our plate for now is served with toil, seasoned with the hope of a future freedom from the full bondage of decay we face now. Some day our plate will be served full of freedom love and joy in heaven with God. There won't even remain an after taste of the curse upon this Earth once we're with Jesus.

[mpaper345]

In the garden of Eden Adam and Eve had it easy for God put all the trees there and all they had to do was dress it and keep it.There was no tilling the ground or any hard labor to provide for their food.The trees provided an endless amount of food without having to till the ground,plant the seed and harvest the crop.God supplied their need for food.

When they got kicked out of the garden they had to fend for themselves.God was not going to provide their food but they had to provide their own food by their own labor which can be exhausting sometimes.

It does not mean God wants us to have a job that is hard and it does not mean that the job we have where we earn a paycheck is going to be tiresome.Some people have easy jobs.

God is saying that Adam and Eve and their offspring has to fend for their own food from the ground.

We still have to fend for our own food today but we have other people that sweat by their brow to provide it for us people.

Matt

[phil36]

Thats an excellent post 1still

James 1:2 NLT
Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.

When we are troubled at work we ought to think of this scripture to encourage us to remain joyful.

Philippians 4:4 NLT
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again ? rejoice!

This scripture is more of a commandment to be joyful, e.g. it is up to us to CHOOSE to be full of joy and not full of bitter rancor. Being a light unto the world means spreading the joy of Jesus Christ to everyone we encounter in good times, in stressful times, in mournful times, or in times of great persecution. Rejoice!!!

[Ashton]

"How do we view our place of work...or work in General"

A chance to work on my vibrato.

[lighthousejohn]

Originally Posted by phil36

Well, thats another hard shift over, a few nice days off now. Talking of work and hard shifts, it reminded me of the Fall.

Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,˜You shall not eat of it, cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Genesis 3:17-19 (ESV).

In Light of work described in the Garden of Eden compared to the Scripture verses above, does that explain how we soemtimes feel about work now?

How should we view our work? take into consideration Paul's exhortation in Colossians:

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" (Col 3:23) ESV.

Hopefully this will not turn into a raging argument, but something for us all to have our say and help understand what is going on, and how we should view work.

Looking forward to a constructive and edifying topic conversation

Phil

I think a non-believer will "chafe against the yoke" of daily toil. The believer on the other hand should be tankful for the job and do it as unto the Lord. We as beleivers should strive to lead our co-workers who are unbelievers to Christ so that they can also enjoy the fruits of their own labor.

[phil36]

Thtas real cool John, help our co-workers to the joy we have.. amen , praise God.

alot of the times I fail miserably, but, through prayer and guidance from the Holy Spirit, I may be a stronger light in my workplace.

[DinoDillinger]

I have a question, do we eat the bread which came down from heaven by the sweat of our brow? I know in the NT it talks about laboring to enter into His rest. How is that actualized in our life?

[Ashton]

Originally Posted by DinoDillinger

I know in the NT it talks about laboring to enter into His rest.

Could you shoot me the passage where it says that? I'd be very interested in reading it. Thanks!

[1still_waters]

]I have a question, do we eat the bread which came down from heaven by the sweat of our brow?

32Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

This verse shows us Jesus is the bread from heaven in the spiritual sense.

You asked do we eat this bread by the sweat of our bro. I think it's two fold. We eat the bread because HE had sweat on HIS brow. Yet while on this Earth we will still toil.

I I know in the NT it talks about laboring to enter into His rest. How is that actualized in our life?

What verses are you talking about?

[pickles]

This is an interesting topic. I have often wondered if we will still work when we are free of this world and Jesus is with us.
I had a dream where I died many years ago. In that dream the group of us that had died and arrived in heaven had a choice when we arrived.
Some choose to live out eternity in the lap of luxury, never lifting a finger agian if they choose.
I remember the angel asking me what I wanted, I did not know what to ask, but thought a moment about what I loved.
Suddenly a door apeared before me and the angel opened it. Inside was a huge room, full of light. And the room was filled with all kinds of projects, furniture that had been broken but could be restored to beauty again. Bits and peices that could be made into something beautiful.Things that had simply been forgotten and withcare could be wonderful. I remeber jumping for joy at the tasks ahead, not jst because it was what I loved to do, but because I knew that whatever I finished here would be restored forever.
I often think heaven is not so much about being perfect, but that all we put our hand to in Jesus makes what we do perfect.
Think of that moment when you accomplish something that makes you feel like you serve a great good. I believe that is heaven sometimes.
Knowing that all we do will serve and give us that which is perfect in Jesus.
But who knows, maby it all will be even greater.
We toil now in the world sometimes in vain, but with God, it will be always in perfect goodness.
God bless, pickles