I saw a quote from a pastor on Facebook the other day that really resonated with me. It said: "A Godly work ethic begins with remembering that your work is not just a task, it's an offering" (Costi Hinn). I feel like a theology of hard work has been lost on our generation and younger. It's not necessarily that we are lazy, but I don't think we've been taught a good theology about why work is good, valuable and how it brings glory to God. I did some studying this morning and found some key scriptures about work I wanted to share. 1. Work is God’s good design. It wasn’t a result of the Fall — it was part of God’s original plan for us. Genesis 2:15 – “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” 2. Diligence and hard work brings results. Proverbs 10:4– “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” Proverbs 14:23 – “All hard work brings a profit…” 3. Laziness has consequences. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 – “If anyone is unwilling to work, let him not eat.”Proverbs 6:6 – “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!” 4. Work like we're working for the Lord Himself. This one can shift everything and that's really been on my mind lately. No matter what our job is, we're ultimately serving Christ. We don't need to be on a platform to be living a life that is pleasing to God. Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters…” 5. Do everything for God’s glory. 1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (And Proverbs 16:3 reminds us to commit our work to Him.) 6 & 7. Find joy, rest, and reward. Psalm 90:17 – “May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us…” God calls us to enjoy the toil He gives as a gift, honor the Sabbath, and remember that our labor in the Lord is never in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). (Side note: I don't believe the Sabbath is still enforced on New Testament believers, but I do believe in following the principle of rest Scripture ascribes)

Here's a couple of key passages with observations I came up with. What else is there? Add to it if you have something you've found! Then God said, “Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness”… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:26-27 All people, no matter their race, are created in the image of God. Therefore, our inherently value as image bearers is equal. “The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.” Genesis 2:20 The Bible affirms that Eve is the “mother of all living”. Therefore, all of the living have the same unifying ancestor. The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth…These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the people of the whole earth were dispersed. Genesis 9:18-19 After the flood, when God was rebuilding and repopulating the world after destroying a violent, sinister humankind, all of humankind came from the same small number of survivors of the flood. “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.” Acts 17:26 The NT affirms that God made every nation of mankind from one man. Further affirming that everyone currently living has joint ancestors in both Adam and Eve. “For as by the one man’s disobedience (Adam) that many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:19 All who call on the name of the Lord are made righteous through one Savior: Christ Jesus. All humankind is unified in their need for a Savior and the Church is unified in their faith in Christ. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood by shed, for God made man in his own image.” God declared murder to be a grave moral evil after the flood because man is made in his own image. He made no distinction between race. All mankind is made in his image, and all mankind should not murder. Therefore, all of mankind should be treated equally under God’s law. There should be no distinction of treatment between races.

War is a controversial subject, but we should consider what the Bible has to say about going to war. One of my favorite ways of thinking about war from a biblical standpoint is the just war tradition. I am aware of a contrary position called "pacifism". I'll probably make another post about it at another time. In this post, I wanted to share the criteria that has developed with heavy Christian influence over the past 2 millennium. These are the 8 criteria for a just war and the supporting Scripture. Let me know your thoughts on just way tradition and whether you agree with it's criteria. A thread on 8 criteria of just war theory. 1. Just cause (Is the reason going to war a morally right cause? “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.” Revelation 19:11 2. Competent authority Has the war been declared by a competent authority within a nation, not simply by an unrecognized band within a nation? “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Romans 13:1 3. Comparative justice Is it clear that the actions of the enemy are morally wrong, and the motives and actions of one’s own nation going to war are, in comparison, morally right? “For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,” Romans 13:3 4. Right intention Is the purpose of going to war to protect justice and righteousness rather than simply to rob and pillage and destroy another nation? “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.” Proverbs 21:2 5. Last resort Have all other reasonable means of resolving the conflict been exhausted? “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

After the flood, God established the earliest form of civil government. Genesis 9:5-6 says, "And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning; from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of a man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image." One of the reasons Scripture gives for the flood was the earth had become so violent. This indicates people were killing each other at mass scale, and God said enough. After the flood, he changed the rules. If someone murdered, their life would be taken. It was a way of curbing the violence that had been on the earth before the flood. It was a way of establishing the earliest forms of civil government by man. This idea of God establishing civil government is also affirmed in the New Testament in at least two passages. “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” ‭‭ Romans‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭ “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.”

WHEN GOD USES YOUR WOUND AS YOUR WEAPON How Anxiety, Depression, and Emotional Storms Become Catalysts for Apostolic Strength and Prophetic Clarity This is written to equip mature believers to understand the spiritual mechanics of suffering, emotional storms, and divine formation. We are delving into the paradox of KINGDOM WEAPONS. Now in this natural world, wounds weaken. But in the Kingdom, wounds forge weapons. In the natural world, storms disrupt, but in the Kingdom, storms develop discernment. In the natural world, anxiety and depression are signals of collapse, but in the Kingdom, they often signal transition, recalibration, and prophetic upgrading. God never wastes pain and He will never ignore emotional storms. While the latter is true please know that He never anoints unprocessed trauma, God is so wise that He transforms wounds into weapons and storms into strategy. THE ANATOMY OF THE PERFECT STORM Many believers misinterpret anxiety, depression, emotional overwhelm, or mental battles as spiritual failure but biblically, the perfect storm has three characteristics: The Storm Reveals What Peace Has Hidden Mark 4:37–40 (KJV)A great storm arises—not to destroy the disciples but to reveal: - Their fear - Their unbelief - Their immature perception of Jesus Storms expose what silence conceals. The Storm Surfaces Unhealed Wounds Storms bring to the surface: - Old traumas - Abandoned memories - Silent anxieties - Hidden insecurities - Generational patterns Why? Because you cannot confront what you refuse to acknowledge. The Storm Positions You for Divine Intervention Jesus doesn’t calm storms too soon but only at maximum impact. Why? Because the storm becomes: - A classroom - A laboratory - A deliverance chamber - A prophetic training ground The perfect storm is not demonic it is developmental. ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AS SPIRITUAL SIGNALS (NOT SPIRITUAL FAILURE) I do NOT view Anxiety and depression as Sins, I truly believe they signals.