1 00:00:01,159 --> 00:00:05,879 Most of us eat every day, some of us too much because yesterday's food 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,679 is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then, do some 3 00:00:10,759 --> 00:00:15,599 of us expect yesterday's portion of heavenly manna the word of God to keep us 4 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:20,199 through today's challenges. On this program, we are going to change all of 5 00:00:20,199 --> 00:00:25,399 that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need to live 6 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:31,320 healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to your Daily Portion with your host, author 7 00:00:31,399 --> 00:00:34,799 speaker L. David Harris. Good morning, good morning, good morning. 8 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:40,280 It is Sabbath, September two, two twenty three. Hello, my name 9 00:00:40,359 --> 00:00:42,920 is L. David Harris. I am your host, and this is your 10 00:00:43,039 --> 00:00:46,960 Daily Portion where we give you God's Word every single day, and today is 11 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,000 no exception. We are continuing in our lesson study series through the Book of 12 00:00:51,039 --> 00:00:57,000 Ephesians. We only have two solid more weeks really three before this lesson study 13 00:00:57,079 --> 00:01:00,840 series is over. But anyway, I don't want to rush things here. 14 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:10,120 We are discussing practicing supreme loyalty to Christ. Practicing supreme loyalty to Christ. 15 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:11,840 We'll get into that in just a moment, but first I'd like to say 16 00:01:11,879 --> 00:01:15,599 welcome, Welcome, Welcome, to everyone joining us, especially those joining us 17 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,519 for the very first time. Please go over to your Daily Portion dot com. 18 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:25,200 Join our online community. There we are building faith and fellowship. I 19 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:27,879 need you to know, if you don't already know that that is a reactive 20 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:34,959 space because I am being proactive by speaking to you television, radio, internet, 21 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,359 podcast and all of that. And now in that community, you speak 22 00:01:38,439 --> 00:01:42,519 back to me, you ask your questions regarding the lesson study, and on 23 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:48,280 occasion I will put something in more times on Saturday or Sabbath. Right, 24 00:01:48,599 --> 00:01:52,200 but go again to your Daily Portion dot com and we can continue to build 25 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:56,920 faith and fellowship there. Let's go ahead and pray, and then we will 26 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:00,799 get underway. Father in Heaven, thank you or this day, the Sabbath 27 00:02:00,959 --> 00:02:05,079 day, and for the blessing that you have entrusted to us to open your 28 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:08,840 word again together and for the tens of thousands of people or more who are 29 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:15,919 with us every single day. Please unify our minds, give us the same 30 00:02:15,039 --> 00:02:21,560 biblical faith, and teach us how to serve one another until Jesus comes in 31 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:30,520 Jesus name, I pray, Amen and amen again practicing supreme loyalty to Christ. 32 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:35,879 Now let me just say there is a giant pink elephant in the room, 33 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,039 if you will, if you're from a culture that doesn't use that idiom 34 00:02:38,199 --> 00:02:43,280 or that that phraseology to make a point, it is. It's the thing 35 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,919 that we see, but a lot of people want to avoid, right, 36 00:02:46,319 --> 00:02:53,000 and that is slavery. Now in our current culture, we understand because we 37 00:02:53,039 --> 00:02:58,319 have a rich unfortunate maybe rich is the wrong words. Scratch that like, 38 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:05,639 edit that out. We have of a sordid past relating to slavery. The 39 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:10,039 Transatlantic slave trade is the one that's top of mind in my case here. 40 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:16,319 There are many, many different wicked devices relating to slavery, but that one 41 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:21,000 is the one that most people are familiar with in our modern society. Right. 42 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:25,120 So I'm just going to answer a question straight right here, right now. 43 00:03:25,479 --> 00:03:32,080 Does the Bible condone slavery as we understand the Transatlantic slave trade? Wise? 44 00:03:32,599 --> 00:03:37,680 No, the answers no. I'm not arguing about that today. It 45 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:42,639 is not my goal or interest to do that. Why the Bible uses these 46 00:03:42,759 --> 00:03:49,680 terminologies is a different discussion about slaves and masters. We're going to modernize it 47 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:53,919 so that we get the principle and don't get distracted based on the King James 48 00:03:54,000 --> 00:04:02,520 versions words relating to the relationships we're going on in these particular texts. Okay, 49 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,360 I wish I had the time, I just literally don't. So we're 50 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:10,840 going to modernize it, okay. And so in Ephesians chapter six and verse 51 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:15,160 nine, we read and masters, treat your slaves in the same way, 52 00:04:15,759 --> 00:04:19,439 do not threaten them. You see how this is so easy. This is 53 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:25,560 clearly not related to that kind of slavery that is so triggering to most of 54 00:04:25,639 --> 00:04:32,600 us. Since you know that he who is both their master and yours is 55 00:04:32,759 --> 00:04:40,639 in heaven, there is no favoritism with him. And so really today I 56 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:47,040 just want to touch briefly the building blocks or some principles that will help people 57 00:04:47,079 --> 00:04:51,839 who are supervisors. Some of you may use the term bosses, managers, 58 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:57,720 or whatever. You have people who report to you in a work environment. 59 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,399 It could be in your home setting, may have a helper, you may 60 00:05:00,439 --> 00:05:04,360 have grounds people, you may have farmers who knows, I don't know what 61 00:05:04,439 --> 00:05:11,399 your wealth level is. And then sometimes in the business setting organizations, companies, 62 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:15,639 or maybe even a religious setting where you are in a nonprofit and you 63 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:20,639 have people who answer to you. In any case, the biblical perspective for 64 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:28,360 people who have some authority over others. Where work is concerned is number one 65 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:35,199 service. Jesus modeled leadership as a servant to others, so we must be 66 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:43,480 servant leaders. Then comes integrity. Proverbs chapter ten, in verse nine emphasizes 67 00:05:43,519 --> 00:05:48,240 the importance of integrity. This means being honest, transparent, and fair in 68 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,240 all of your dealings. If you have to pay someone, you pay them 69 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:57,040 the fair living weight. You don't take advantage of them. You don't build 70 00:05:57,199 --> 00:06:00,959 on the backs of people your empire. No, you must be if you're 71 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:08,160 following Christ, fair in all of your business dealings. And then, of 72 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:13,199 course comes love and kindness. Colossians chapter three, in verse twelve calls for 73 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:20,040 compassion and kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. This could involve genuinely 74 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:27,079 caring for your workers or employees, understanding their struggles, and being patient with 75 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:30,439 their growth. I've already said humility in another word, right, fairness, 76 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:35,000 I've talked about that. And then comes stewardship so much more. The Parable 77 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:42,160 of the talents in Matthew chapter twenty five teaches about wise management and the use 78 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:47,720 of resources. As a supervisor, this could mean responsibly using resources available to 79 00:06:47,759 --> 00:06:53,720 you for the benefit of the organization and your employees. And then the one 80 00:06:53,759 --> 00:06:57,519 that I love a lot, good communication. Some of you know what I 81 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,040 have done in the past good communication. In Proverbs chapter fifteen, in verse 82 00:07:01,079 --> 00:07:08,319 one, the Bible discusses the power of gentle words and the destructive potential of 83 00:07:08,639 --> 00:07:15,399 harsh speech. Effective, RESTful, and empathetic communication should be a priority. 84 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:20,480 And so we see that from a supervisor's perspective or a boss or whatever word 85 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:28,720 that you use in your and your society. And then comes employees, people 86 00:07:28,759 --> 00:07:31,079 who work for others, or maybe you're not an employee, but you are 87 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:36,279 a consultant or a contractor of some contractor of some sort, and you're delivering 88 00:07:36,399 --> 00:07:42,279 service regardless. Here are some principles even for us, right, I said 89 00:07:42,399 --> 00:07:46,600 us huh. Diligence. In Proverbs chapter twenty two, in verse twenty nine, 90 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:55,439 the Bible praises skilled and diligent workers. Consistently doing your best work and 91 00:07:55,720 --> 00:08:01,560 always striving for improvement is critical. I think it was Saint Jerome that's a 92 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:03,399 good, better best, Never let it rest until the good is better and 93 00:08:03,439 --> 00:08:09,920 the better best. But the late Earl Cleveland ee Cleveland said good, better, 94 00:08:09,959 --> 00:08:13,360 best, never let it rest until the good is better and the better 95 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:22,040 better. Yes, we are always striving for more for better. And then 96 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:26,879 comes respect. In Romans chapter thirteen and verse seven, Paul instructs to give 97 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:35,480 respect where it is due. Respect colleagues, respect supervisors, and the organization 98 00:08:35,639 --> 00:08:39,279 for which you work or clients as the case may be. That is key. 99 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:43,960 And then, of course integrity do we need to really say that again, 100 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,399 we need to be honest in all of our dealings. Deliver what you 101 00:08:46,519 --> 00:08:52,879 promise, do not steal time or resources from those you serve. And then 102 00:08:52,919 --> 00:08:58,000 comes cooperation. I wish more people in companies and organization would get this one. 103 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,639 In First Corinthians, chapter twelve, in verse fourteen, the Bible discusses 104 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:09,679 the importance of each part of the body working together. The same principle holds 105 00:09:09,799 --> 00:09:16,600 true in a teen work or workplace environment, everybody lifting his or her own 106 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:22,240 load so that the whole or the entire body of that situation will benefit. 107 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:26,320 Of course, there is humility, there is stewardship, there is service. 108 00:09:26,399 --> 00:09:31,039 Again, and I want to talk about peace and forgiveness. We are encouraged 109 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:41,279 so that we constructively manage conflicts and be willing to forgive and move beyond disagreements. 110 00:09:41,759 --> 00:09:46,720 Interesting topic, Let's continue peace. Thanks for joining us listening. Friends, 111 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:50,279 Always remember we cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that 112 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:54,519 comes from the mouth of God. This has been your daily portion with L. 113 00:09:54,679 --> 00:10:00,320 David Harris. Make it a great day.