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Proverbs of a 40 yr old man
Find joy in everything you do. Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again rejoice! Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. What does this look like though for the believer? To find joy in the mundane or in even being taken advantage of? Yes, if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that. Jesus tells us to love our enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never - I promise - regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. There is a peaceable fruit of joy that comes from loving others in Christ. Learning to find joy in the harshest of seasons. 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. In the day of prosperity, be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider this: God has made one of these along with the other, so that a man cannot discover anything that will come after him. Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
Study Isaiah 29:19
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