Consider the ant.

Proverbs 15:23 says, To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, & a word in season, how good it is!

Yesterday’s message on the sluggard & the ant, on laziness & diligence, was a word in season for me & I would bet for many of you as well!

TAKE TIME TO APPLY THIS WORD.

The Scriptures teach that we do not change by hearing truth. We can listen & agree with what is preached. We can even rejoice in what is being preached & feel a sense of relief. But we not change by merely hearing truth.

We change by applying truth. James 1:22 says, Be doers of the word, & not hearers only, deceiving yourself.

So . . . How should you specifically apply yesterday’s message on laziness & diligence?

Ben asked some searching questions for application:

Are there things you need to begin?
Are there things you need to complete?
Are there things you need to face?
What areas of my life do I not care about that I know I should?
How can I make my time count?

Sometimes we allow ourselves to delay obedience with excuses. At one point yesterday, Ben said: “Laziness is the perfect soil for excuses to grow.”

In fact, this pandemic is a “good” excuse. Has the pandemic “permitted” you to put off important decisions, neglect key priorities, or be noncommittal in relationships?

If so, that would be a great place to begin turning back to the Lord.

As you consider application, choose one way you want to respond in repentance & obedience to God’s Word in response.

TAKE TIME TO REVIEW THIS WORD.

If you are anything like me, you had a hard time taking down all the points & quotes from the message.

For your reference, we have included Ben’s outline below.

Central Point: Beware of the sluggard & work with diligence as unto the Lord.

1. The Sluggard: His Character & His Activity

A. The lazy do not begin things.

"When asked how long or when... he doesn't know. Those types of questions are too definite for him. All he knows is his delicious drowsiness... a little respite... a little, a little, a little... he deceives himself by the smallness of his surrenders. So, by inches & minutes his opportunity slips away." Derek Kidner

B. The lazy do not finish things.

"Once he gets to work & bumps up against some difficulty or resistance, all motivation vanishes, and the sluggard retreats back into ease... this is someone who has a growing stack of half-read books on his desk, a host of home projects still awaiting completion, multiple promises to friends & family left unfulfilled, a collection of almost written articles in the queue, & a gym membership that hasn't been used since January 2018." -Derek Brown

C. The lazy do not face things.

"The sluggard's life is beset by constant trouble (Proverbs 15:19). Since he fails to complete his work in the allotted hours, he's in constant hurry to fulfill his responsibilities & is often annoyed at those around him for taking up all his time... he may not be able to keep a job for any length of time because of his inability to discipline his time, shun distraction, and hard work... paying bills and maintaining his vehicle will be neglected & cause unnecessary friction." Derek Brown

D. The lazy is left with nothing but craving.

"The wise man will learn while there is time. He knows that the sluggard is not freak, but, as often as not, an ordinary man who has made too many excuses, too many refusals & too many postponements. It has all been as imperceptible, & as pleasant, as falling asleep." Derek Kidner

2. The Diligent: His Initiative & His Future

A. The diligent works by his own initiative.

B. The diligent plans & works ahead of time.

"Foolishness only labors when the stomach growls. Wisdom labors because it knows the stomach will growl." -John Kitchen

C. The diligent prospers.

Application:

1. Rebel against Low Expectations

2. Plan with Diligence

A. Plan According to our Roles

B. Plan According to our Goals

"It's not enough to be diligent unless we are righteous; for though the curse is to the idle, the blessing is not to the active, but to the righteous... diligence in service to God... which wins the reward of God." - Charles Spurgeon

"An easy life isn't an option; an easy yoke is." -John Mark Comer

Benediction:

May the energizing Spirit of Christ compel us to sharpen our God-given skills so we might be useful to our King & to our fellow man, to courageously face & complete difficult tasks, & to avoid the unnecessary trouble of laziness. Amen.