WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR JOB PART 5 OF 10

TEXT - 1 KINGS 19:1-16

INTRODUCTION

IT IS SAID THAT NEXT TO THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE, LOSING A JOB IS THE MOST TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE A PERSON WILL EVER GO THROUGH.

IN FACT, THOSE WHO LOSE A JOB EVEN GO THROUGH A SIMILAR GRIEVING PROCESS AS THOSE WHO LOSE A LOVED ONE.

BEING FIRED OR LOSING A JOB IS NEVER EASY FOR ANYONE, BUT IT CAN BE ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT FOR MEN BECAUSE MUCH OF THEIR SELF-RESPECT AND SELF-WORTH IS DERIVED FROM THEIR WORK, WHILE A WOMAN GAINS IT FROM HER RELATIONSHIPS.

BEFORE WE LOOK AT THIS ISSUE OF LIFE I WOULD LIKE US TO UNDERSTAND SOME THINGS ABOUT WORK IN GENERAL.

SOME THINK THAT WORK IS SOMETHING MAN DOES BECAUSE OF SIN, BUT IN ACTUALITY IT WAS SOMETHING ADAM DID BEFORE HE SINNED.

GENESIS 2:15, "THEN THE LORD GOD TOOK THE MAN AND PUT HIM INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO CULTIVATE IT AND KEEP IT."

WORK IS SOMETHING THAT GOD INTENDS FOR US TO DO.

MANY PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO WORK AT ALL AND WOULD RATHER TRY TO FIND A WAY TO GET SOMEONE ELSE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM

A FATHER CALLED HIS SON INTO THE DEN ONE DAY AND SAID, `HEY, WHY DON'T YOU GO OUT AND LEARN A TRADE SO I'LL KNOW WHAT KIND OF JOB YOU'RE OUT OF,' WHICH IS AN UNKIND THING TO SAY TO A SENSITIVE BOY OF TWENTY-NINE. SO, TO MAKE HIM PROUD, THE SON TOOK THE CIVIL-SERVICE EXAM TO BE A MAILMAN. THE FIRST QUESTION ON THE EXAMINATION WAS, `HOW FAR IS IT FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON?'-- SO HE SAID TO HIMSELF, "IF THAT'S THE ROUTE THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE ME, FORGET IT. I DON'T WANT THE JOB ANYWAY."

A FELLOW WALKED UP TO A BUM AND MADE THIS OBSERVATION: "YOU'RE NOT TOO OLD AND YOU LOOK REASONABLY FIT. WHY DON'T YOU TRY TO GET A JOB?" "I CAN'T. I INHERITED THIS BUSINESS FROM MY FATHER!"

EPHESIANS 4:28, "LET HIM WHO STEALS STEAL NO LONGER; BUT RATHER LET HIM LABOR, PERFORMING WITH HIS OWN HANDS WHAT IS GOOD, IN ORDER THAT HE MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE WITH HIM WHO HAS NEED."

2 THESSALONIANS 3:10-12, "FOR EVEN WHEN WE WERE WITH YOU, WE USED TO GIVE YOU THIS ORDER: IF ANYONE WILL NOT WORK, NEITHER LET HIM EAT. [11] FOR WE HEAR THAT SOME AMONG YOU ARE LEADING AN UNDISCIPLINED LIFE, DOING NO WORK AT ALL, BUT ACTING LIKE BUSYBODIES. [12] NOW SUCH PERSONS WE COMMAND AND EXHORT IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TO WORK IN QUIET FASHION AND EAT THEIR OWN BREAD."
1 TIMOTHY 5:8, "BUT IF ANYONE DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR HIS OWN, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF HIS HOUSEHOLD, HE HAS DENIED THE FAITH, AND IS WORSE THAN AN UNBELIEVER."

SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT WORK IS THAT WHILE GOD WANTS US TO WORK, HE ALSO WANTS US TO SET ASIDE TIME FOR HIM.

EXODUS 23:12, "SIX DAYS YOU ARE TO DO YOUR WORK, BUT ON THE SEVENTH DAY YOU SHALL CEASE FROM LABOR IN ORDER THAT YOUR OX AND YOUR DONKEY MAY REST, AND THE SON OF YOUR FEMALE SLAVE, AS WELL AS YOUR STRANGER, MAY REFRESH THEMSELVES."

TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER THREE WAYS TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE OF LOSING YOUR JOB.