Honor God in Your Work by Max Lucado

Heaven's calendar has seven Sundays a week. God sanctifies each day. He conducts holy business at all hours and in all places. He uncommons the common by turning kitchen sinks into shrines, cafés into convents, and nine-to-five workdays into spiritual adventures.

Workdays? Yes, workdays. He ordained your work as something good. Before he gave Adam a wife or a child, even before he gave Adam britches, God gave Adam a job. "Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it" (Gen. 2:15 NASB). Innocence, not indolence, characterized the first family.

God views work worthy of its own engraved commandment: "You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest" (Exod. 34:21 NASB). We like the second half of that verse. But emphasis on the day of rest might cause us to miss the command to work: "You shall work six days." Whether you work at home or in the marketplace, your work matters to God.

And your work matters to society. We need you! Cities need plumbers. Nations need soldiers. Stoplights break. Bones break. We need people to repair the first and set the second. Someone has to raise kids, raise cane, and manage the kids who raise Cain.

Whether you log on or lace up for the day, you imitate God. Jehovah himself worked for the first six days of creation. Jesus said, "My Father never stops working, and so I keep working, too" (John 5:17 NCV). Your career consumes half of your lifetime. Shouldn't it broadcast God? Don't those forty to sixty hours a week belong to him as well?

The Bible never promotes workaholism or an addiction to employment as pain medication. But God unilaterally calls all the physically able to till the gardens he gives. God honors work. So honor God in your work. "There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good" (Eccles. 2:24 NASB). Do you tell yourself your work is good?? If you can't find a way to make your work good, perhaps God is directing you to some other type of work.

Here is the big idea:Use your uniqueness (what you do) to make a big deal out of God (why you do it) every day of your life (where you do it). At the convergence of all three, you'll find the cure for the common life: your sweet spot.

"I know you will be blessed by this one devotional from Beth Moore book, Voices of the Faithful. The book is a compilation of inspiring stories from 300 missionaries who have given up everything to be on the front lines of faith and make a difference in their corner of the world. They are real, live flesh and blood people who love the comforts of home and extended family just like you and me. They are all ages, shapes and sizes--singles, married, widowed, old and young. They don’t all sing, preach, or teach. Some of them farm, dig wells and do plumbing. They don’t have a single talent or skill entirely in common. All they have in common is a willingness to engage with God across the globe to reach the nations. "

“As you know, we consider blessed thosewho have persevered.” (James 5:11a, NIV)
Drought conditions in the state of Orissa (or-RISS-sah), India, caused many deaths one year. People looked to the village priest to perform rituals to appease the spirits, but even the priest suffered as he helplessly watched his malnourished wife die after birthing her fifth child. Fearing his dignity would be tarnished for not saving his wife, he decided a greater sacrifice must be made. He chose to offer his baby daughter as a human sacrifice.

As the father prepared to cremate his wife, he commanded his sister to throw the baby onto the burning pyre. But the aunt had sympathy for the child and tossed a bundle of rags instead. For 15 days, she drugged the infant to prevent her from crying. But the angry father found out and torched his sister’s hut for deceiving him.

The aunt escaped with the child and ran miles through the jungle to a mission hospital, where she abandoned the baby. Later she returned and identified the child. After three months, a Canadian Baptist missionary was given custody of the infant, who was named Lakki (LAH-kee) Joy.

Lakki thrived under the missionary’s care. Through her guidance, Lakki came to know Christ as her personal Lord and Savior.

Lakki shares the gospel with her people group, the Soura (Sue-rah) at every opportunity. This once unwanted baby has become a testimony of God’s love and is truly a joy to others.

Sue, South Asia

Sudzhanskiy regional court in Kursk region released verdict to twenty-five year old citizen of this region Natalia who brutally abused her children.

The mother has 3 little children whom she has neglected, did not work with and drank alcohol frequently. She constantly abused her oldest 4-year old daughter and at times threw food on the floor so that she would not starve to death. The food consisted of leftovers that were served to her like a dog.

The court released verdict to relinquish Natalia’s parental rights for her oldest daughter and set limited rights for the younger ones.

Due to the brutal abuse of her older daughter the criminal investigation was started. During the investigation Natalia gave birth and had another daughter. She took care of her new born the same way as she did with her 4-year old. Due to neglecting her new born the child developed chronic rhinitis that lead to death. It was too late to provide any kind of medical help due to improper care so the child died being less than one month old.

The court has recognized Natalia guilty and released verdict that simply slapped her hands and charged 5,000 rubles fine ($212). The softness of the verdict has surprised everyone.

Blessings, Alex

Every eligible foreign adoptive parent will have to go through psychological exam to determine if adoptive parents are fit to raise adoptive child. The Ministry of Education and Science has already prepared a document proposing this change that will go into effect in the near future. Every adoptive parent will have to present personal data info to the representative of the regional and federal operator of the state national data bank where eligible adoptive child is registered. This information will be submitted strictly through an accredited and licensed nongovernmental adoption agency recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science.

For more thorough determination of adoptive parents’ candidacy eligible adoptive parents will be required to go through psychological exam and pass special training program. Tragic recent death case of Nikolai Emelyantcev who was adopted last February by Feodor and Kimberly Emelyantcev has reminded about the necessity of incorporating changes to the current rules and procedures for international adoption by foreign families. These changes will assure the guarantee for following the rules and procedures of post-placements and meet the interests of children who are adopted by foreign families and live abroad.

The government has stated that Nikolai was adopted through independent adoption; thus, there was no accredited recognized licensed agency representing the interests of the family. Independent adoption has middle man person who is not responsible or legally hold accountable for mistakes being made; thus, such form of adoption does not follow the rules and procedures for international adoption in the Russian Federation.

The Ministry of Education and Science has sent the document for the federal approval to make changes in the state family constitution of the Russian Federation.

Article hosted by “The Daily Telegraph” http://gzt.ru/society/2008/03/21/194353.html%20Posted%20on%20March%2021, 2008

USCIS Strengthens Intercountry Adoption ProcessRollout of New Forms and Centralized Review Under Hague Adoption Convention

WASHINGTON ─ Children, birthparents and prospective adoptive parent(s) will have greater protections under the Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Hague Adoption Convention), effective April 1, 2008. New safeguards administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) under the Hague include the creation of new forms and improved, centralized examination processes for intercountry adoption applications and petitions under the Hague Adoption Convention.

The Hague Adoption Convention is an international treaty between Convention member countries (www.travel.state.gov). The agreement provides a framework of rules and procedures for the countries to work jointly to ensure certain intercountry adoption protections. These include providing adoptees with permanent and loving homes and looking after children’s best interests throughout the adoption process, thus preventing the abduction, sale or illegal traffic of children.

“These new protective and streamlining measures underscore our commitment to children, parents and prospective adoptive parents”, said Michael Valverde, acting Deputy Chief, USCIS Office of International Operations.

The new forms being introduced are an Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country (I-800A), and the Petition to Classify a Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative (I-800). The purpose of the I-800A is to review the suitability and eligibility of prospective adoptive parent(s), while the I-800 determines a child’s Convention classification eligibility.

Additionally, USCIS established a special unit to process all Hague intercountry adoption applications and petitions at its USCIS National Benefits Center. The special unit will also provide customer service support to prospective adoptive parents who have filed Form I-800A or Form I-800.

Prospective adoptive parents are encouraged to visit and download the forms and filing instructions and Hague Adoption Convention Fact Sheet, available on the Internet at www.uscis.gov.

Official statistics show the number of children has fallen from 36 million to 29 million over the past eight years, part of an overall fall resulting from low birth rates, an antiquated public health care system, poverty, alcoholism and rampant crime. Child's Right, a Moscow-based advocacy group, says that every year about 2,000 of Russia's 29 million children aged up to 17 are killed by their parents or other relatives, which translates into a rate of about 6.9 per 100,000. By rough comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that in 2005, the overall homicide rate for children 13 and under regardless of the perpetrator was 1.4 per 100,000.

The overall U.S. rate for children aged 14 to 17 was 4.8 per 100,000. According to a UNICEF report, the suicide rate for Russian youths aged 15 to 19 was 20.2 per 100,000 in 2004. That's more than double the rate of 8.2 per 100,000 for the same age group in the U.S. in 2004, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Child's Right, citing state statistics, says about 50,000 Russian children one out of every 580 run away from home each year. Another 20,000 flee from state-run orphanages and other institutions.

Authorities can either do nothing or take the child away from parents and place him in an orphanage, Altshuler said, but there is no middle ground such as family counseling or monitoring by social workers, and no law that obliges the state to act. «The whole country is one orphan-making factory,» he said in an interview. [Boris Altshuler, head of Child's Right,]

According to the human rights ombudsman, the number of orphans or children whose parents were stripped of their custody rights has risen by almost 20 percent over the past eight years, to more than 730,000. UNICEF data says 1,384 Russian children out of every 100,000 lived in an institution in 2005, compared with 709 per 100,000 in Poland and 590 out of 100,000 in the former Soviet state of Estonia. In recent years, the Russian government has established a foster home program and created hot lines for child victims. Charities and nongovernment groups have opened shelters and UNICEF is working to create a national network of children's rights watchdogs.

Posted by PR-Inside 08/24/2007 (http://www.pr-inside.com/amid-russia-s-boom-a-dark-secret-r206967.htm )

According to the official statistics in Russia every hundredth child is being raised in the state orphanage system. There are 280,000 children in the state orphanage system. Currently in Russia there are more than 2 thousand orphan shelters, 1,500 social state institutions and 1,400 special internats (boarding schools) where orphans are being raised.

The Federal Treasury of the Russian Federation in 2005 spent two billion Euros to support orphans in the state institutions. Majority of its finance in general is not spent toward the orphan’s support, but to support the institutions (building maintenance, staff salary, etc). The amount spent toward an orphan’s needs is much lower than mentioned above.

This Sunday I heard a wonderful message and wanted to share it with you. The topic was “Relationships Within the Body”-Ephesians 4:25-32

Key Idea: while we do not earn our salvation by good deeds, the putting off/putting on principle should be reflected in our relationships with others.

1. Speaking Truth (v.25)
a. The negative-putting off (we must lay aside falsehood)
b. The positive-putting on (we must speak the truth)
c. The reason-we are members of one another (being a true members is to be part of a body)

2. Controlling Anger (vv.26-27)
a. The positive-control your anger (Psalm 4:4). James 1:19-20 says, “Be slow to speak and slow to anger.”
b. The negative-settle issues quickly (keep short accounts). Deep sited anger is bitterness and you must get rid of unresolved anger.
c. The reason-Satan loves to capitalize on unresolved anger (James 1:19-20 says, “For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”)

3. Working to share (v. 28)
a. The negative-do not steal
b. The positive-work hard with your own hands
c. The reason-to be able to share with others

4. Edifying other in your words (vv.29-30)
a. The negative-do not speak any “unwholesome” words. The Holy Spirit hears every word we say so we must be on guard.
b. The positive-speak on that, which builds up others (when we speak such words it shows the presence of the Holy Spirit in us)
c. The reason-you should not grieve the Holy Spirit (it is important how and what we say)

5. Edifying others in your actions (vv.31-32)
a. The negative-get rid of malicious behavior (James 3:8)
i. Bitterness
ii. Wrath
iii. Anger
iv. Clamor
v. Slander
vi. Malice
b. The positive-be caring, kind, tender hearted and forgiving
c. The reason-forgiven people should be people who are readily forgive

If a video was played of your life this past week and graded you on all five of these area, how would you do?

This Christmas when I was with my family in Louisiana I had to take a Christmas Quiz prior to receiving my gifts. At first I did not want to participate in the quiz because I thought, “Why should I do this quiz in order to get my gifts so I said you are welcome to take all of my gifts, but then I changed my mind.”

I found this quiz so fascinating that I could not resist from sharing it with you. I am only going to provide questions in this quiz. If you are interested please send your answers to me and I will tell you if you passed or failed.

Please do not cheat or read the Bible because I want to see how well you know Christmas story. I trust that you will be honest as you take the quiz.

Here we go:

1. On what animal did Mary ride into Bethlehem?
2. How long was Mary in Bethlehem before she gave birth to baby Jesus?
3. What did the inn keeper say to Joseph and Mary when they arrived in Bethlehem?
4. How many angels were present when Jesus was born?
5. Did the shepherds and wise men come to see baby Jesus on the same night?
6. How many wise men were there, and how many gifts did they bring?
7. Were the Magi actually wise men or wise women?

Hope to hear from you. Please email your answers to: alexfaithful@netzero.net

Blessings, Alex