{"id":5044,"date":"2013-07-15T08:32:47","date_gmt":"2013-07-15T15:32:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nehemiah.pivotdev.com\/?p=5044"},"modified":"2020-03-16T23:20:40","modified_gmt":"2020-03-17T06:20:40","slug":"diligence-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nehemiahecommunity.com\/members\/devotionals\/diligence-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"Diligence","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cHe who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 \u2014 Proverbs 10:4<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is righteousness enough for us to prosper in business?\u00a0 Have you ever wondered why unbelievers prosper while believers still lack?\u00a0 How diligent are you in the pursuit of your goals?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m often asked why those who fail to acknowledge or obey God and His Word in their pursuit of profits seem to prosper, while many who confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and seek to please Him in their lives often do not enjoy the same level of profitability.\u00a0 Are we serving God in vain?\u00a0 Why does the unbeliever prosper while many believers struggle to achieve the financial success they desire? \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, the Bible is clear that we ought not to pursue God in an attempt to get rich, but rather our pursuit of Him should be purely motivated by our desire to please Him.<\/strong>\u00a0 Pleasing God allows us to enjoy His blessings, which, though they do not preclude material success, often result in far more than financial stability.\u00a0 In fact, material success without the blessings of God is what the Bible calls blessings with sorrows (Proverbs 10:22).\u00a0 We must escape the temptation to settle for such blessings with sorrows. We must teach ourselves to prefer God\u2019s genuine blessings over the world\u2019s false description of success.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being right with God is a necessary component to achieving God\u2019s well-deserved gift of material success. However, once we are right with God, we must also be diligent.\u00a0 Though obedience is key to\u00a0 gaining a right standing with God, one cannot effectively multiply God-given resources without stewardship.\u00a0 Proper stewardship is essential for profitability, and the key to proper stewardship is diligence.<\/strong>\u00a0 Without diligence, one\u2019s stewardship efforts are uncoordinated, inconsistent, unfocused and incapable of producing material success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe hand of the diligent<\/strong> will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Proverbs 12:24<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent<\/strong> shall be made rich.\u201d<\/em> Proverbs 13:4<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe plans of the diligent<\/strong> lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Proverbs 21:5<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While many of us have been convicted by God and choose to no longer cheat, we sometimes slack in our diligence.\u00a0 We relegate our responsibility to God. I heard a truth that is worth repeating here: as believers we ought to pray as though nothing depends on us and work as though everything does.<\/strong>\u00a0 In other words, success for the believer is not just a matter of verbal obedience to God, but it also requires action on our part.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diligence is the persistent application of effort towards a single goal.\u00a0 Without diligence, we cannot be fruitful.<\/strong>\u00a0 So then, how do we exercise diligence?\u00a0 Here are seven things to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Make sure you are in right standing with God<\/li>
  2. Be clear of your mission<\/li>
  3. Have clear, actionable goals<\/li>
  4. Be focused<\/li>
  5. Be consistent<\/li>
  6. Finish what you start<\/li>
  7. Evaluate your results and continue<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    It is God\u2019s desire that kingdom businesses are profitable, sustainable and scalable so that His will can be advanced in the earth realm. But, for that to be accomplished we must not just seek to be holy as He is; in addition, we must always, in our holiness, be effective stewards by exercising diligence in His business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My prayer for you today is that God will grant you the grace to diligently pursue the goals and challenges that He has called you to, so that you may receive the blessings of God, which makes us rich without sorrow.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    \u201cHe who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.\u201d\u00a0 \u2014 Proverbs 10:4 Is righteousness enough for us to\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotionals","pmpro-has-access",""],"spectra_custom_meta":{"_mk_post_love":["0"],"_yoast_wpseo_redirect":[""],"_accessally_post_permission":["a:9:{s:13:\"require-login\";s:2:\"no\";s:16:\"required-tag-ids\";a:0:{}s:13:\"tag-id-system\";s:12:\"Infusionsoft\";s:21:\"conditional-redirects\";a:0:{}s:10:\"enable-url\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"disable-url\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"no-wpautop\";s:2:\"no\";s:16:\"include-form-css\";s:2:\"no\";s:15:\"include-form-js\";s:2:\"no\";}"],"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-adv":["none"],"_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":["Is righteousness enough for us to prosper in business? Have you ever wondered why unbelievers prosper while believers still lack?"],"_yoast_wpseo_title":["Diligence -"],"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":["diligence"],"mom_video_show":["on"],"mom_video_type":["html5"],"mom_article_type":["article"],"sbg_selected_sidebar_replacement":["a:1:{i:0;s:12:\"Blog Sidebar\";}"],"shareaholic_disable_open_graph_tags":["0"],"shareaholic_disable_share_buttons":["0"],"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":["77"],"avada_post_views_count":["407"],"_edit_last":["1"],"sbg_selected_sidebar":["a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"0\";}"],"sbg_selected_sidebar_2_replacement":["a:1:{i:0;s:0:\"\";}"],"slide_template":["default"],"sbg_selected_sidebar_2":["a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"0\";}"],"pyre_show_first_featured_image":["no"],"pyre_fimg_width":[""],"pyre_fimg_height":[""],"pyre_portfolio_width_100":["default"],"pyre_video":[""],"pyre_image_rollover_icons":["default"],"pyre_link_icon_url":[""],"pyre_post_links_target":["no"],"pyre_related_posts":["default"],"pyre_share_box":["default"],"pyre_post_pagination":["default"],"pyre_author_info":["default"],"pyre_post_meta":["default"],"pyre_post_comments":["default"],"pyre_main_top_padding":[""],"pyre_main_bottom_padding":[""],"pyre_hundredp_padding":[""],"pyre_slider_type":["no"],"pyre_slider":["0"],"pyre_wooslider":["0"],"pyre_revslider":["0"],"pyre_elasticslider":["0"],"pyre_slider_position":["default"],"pyre_avada_rev_styles":["default"],"pyre_fallback":[""],"pyre_demo_slider":[""],"pyre_display_header":["yes"],"pyre_header_100_width":["default"],"pyre_header_bg_color":[""],"pyre_header_bg_opacity":[""],"pyre_header_bg":[""],"pyre_header_bg_full":["no"],"pyre_header_bg_repeat":["repeat"],"pyre_displayed_menu":["default"],"pyre_display_footer":["default"],"pyre_display_copyright":["default"],"pyre_footer_100_width":["default"],"pyre_sidebar_position":["default"],"pyre_sidebar_bg_color":[""],"pyre_page_bg_layout":["default"],"pyre_page_bg_color":[""],"pyre_page_bg":[""],"pyre_page_bg_full":["no"],"pyre_page_bg_repeat":["repeat"],"pyre_wide_page_bg_color":[""],"pyre_wide_page_bg":[""],"pyre_wide_page_bg_full":["no"],"pyre_wide_page_bg_repeat":["repeat"],"pyre_page_title":["default"],"pyre_page_title_breadcrumbs_search_bar":["default"],"pyre_page_title_text":["default"],"pyre_page_title_text_alignment":["default"],"pyre_page_title_custom_text":[""],"pyre_page_title_text_size":[""],"pyre_page_title_custom_subheader":[""],"pyre_page_title_custom_subheader_text_size":[""],"pyre_page_title_font_color":[""],"pyre_page_title_100_width":["default"],"pyre_page_title_height":[""],"pyre_page_title_mobile_height":[""],"pyre_page_title_bar_bg_color":[""],"pyre_page_title_bar_borders_color":[""],"pyre_page_title_bar_bg":[""],"pyre_page_title_bar_bg_retina":[""],"pyre_page_title_bar_bg_full":["default"],"pyre_page_title_bg_parallax":["default"],"fusion_builder_status":[""],"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":["diligence"],"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":["30"],"_accessally_post_webinar":["a:7:{s:14:\"enable-webinar\";s:2:\"no\";s:10:\"youtube-id\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"hangout-url\";s:0:\"\";s:13:\"webinar-title\";s:18:\"AccessAlly Webinar\";s:18:\"webinar-start-date\";s:0:\"\";s:25:\"webinar-start-time-select\";s:5:\"00:00\";s:22:\"webinar-start-time-raw\";i:1486702800;}"],"_progressally_quiz_counter_meta":["a:4:{s:16:\"select-quiz-type\";s:5:\"score\";s:23:\"quiz_completion_counter\";i:0;s:18:\"grade_pass_counter\";i:0;s:8:\"question\";a:1:{i:1;a:4:{i:1;i:0;i:2;i:0;i:3;i:0;i:4;i:0;}}}"],"_progressally_post_meta":["a:11:{s:12:\"selected-tab\";s:9:\"objective\";s:13:\"max-objective\";s:1:\"0\";s:15:\"objective-error\";s:0:\"\";s:15:\"objective-order\";a:0:{}s:10:\"access-tag\";s:0:\"\";s:19:\"checked-enable-quiz\";s:2:\"no\";s:4:\"quiz\";a:16:{s:16:\"select-quiz-type\";s:5:\"score\";s:20:\"correct-message-html\";s:8:\"Correct!\";s:11:\"result-html\";s:92:\"

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auto;}}\";s:2:\"js\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"current_block_list\";a:4:{i:0;s:14:\"core\/paragraph\";i:1;s:9:\"core\/list\";i:2;s:10:\"uagb\/image\";i:3;s:10:\"core\/image\";}s:8:\"uag_flag\";b:1;s:11:\"uag_version\";s:10:\"1776814008\";s:6:\"gfonts\";a:0:{}s:10:\"gfonts_url\";s:0:\"\";s:12:\"gfonts_files\";a:0:{}s:14:\"uag_faq_layout\";b:0;}"]},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"post-thumbnail":false,"gform-image-choice-sm":false,"gform-image-choice-md":false,"gform-image-choice-lg":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"EC Admin","author_link":"https:\/\/nehemiahecommunity.com\/members\/author\/ecmembersadm-2\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"\u201cHe who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.\u201d\u00a0 \u2014 Proverbs 10:4 Is righteousness enough for us to\u2026","comments_count":0,"content_native":[{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"

    \u201cHe who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 \u2014 Proverbs 10:4<\/strong><\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"

    \u201cHe who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 \u2014 Proverbs 10:4<\/strong><\/p>"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{},"backgroundColor":"#eeeeee"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"

    Is righteousness enough for us to prosper in business?  Have you ever wondered why unbelievers prosper while believers still lack?  How diligent are you in the pursuit of your goals?<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Is righteousness enough for us to prosper in business?  Have you ever wondered why unbelievers prosper while believers still lack?  How diligent are you in the pursuit of your goals?"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"

    I\u2019m often asked why those who fail to acknowledge or obey God and His Word in their pursuit of profits seem to prosper, while many who confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and seek to please Him in their lives often do not enjoy the same level of profitability.  Are we serving God in vain?  Why does the unbeliever prosper while many believers struggle to achieve the financial success they desire?  <\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"I\u2019m often asked why those who fail to acknowledge or obey God and His Word in their pursuit of profits seem to prosper, while many who confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and seek to please Him in their lives often do not enjoy the same level of profitability.  Are we serving God in vain?  Why does the unbeliever prosper while many believers struggle to achieve the financial success they desire?  "}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"

    Of course, the Bible is clear that we ought not to pursue God in an attempt to get rich, but rather our pursuit of Him should be purely motivated by our desire to please Him.<\/strong>  Pleasing God allows us to enjoy His blessings, which, though they do not preclude material success, often result in far more than financial stability.  In fact, material success without the blessings of God is what the Bible calls blessings with sorrows (Proverbs 10:22).  We must escape the temptation to settle for such blessings with sorrows. We must teach ourselves to prefer God\u2019s genuine blessings over the world\u2019s false description of success. <\/strong><\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Of course, the Bible is clear that we ought not to pursue God in an attempt to get rich, but rather our pursuit of Him should be purely motivated by our desire to please Him.<\/strong>  Pleasing God allows us to enjoy His blessings, which, though they do not preclude material success, often result in far more than financial stability.  In fact, material success without the blessings of God is what the Bible calls blessings with sorrows (Proverbs 10:22).  We must escape the temptation to settle for such blessings with sorrows. We must teach ourselves to prefer God\u2019s genuine blessings over the world\u2019s false description of success. <\/strong>"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"

    Being right with God is a necessary component to achieving God\u2019s well-deserved gift of material success. However, once we are right with God, we must also be diligent.  Though obedience is key to  gaining a right standing with God, one cannot effectively multiply God-given resources without stewardship.  Proper stewardship is essential for profitability, and the key to proper stewardship is diligence.<\/strong>  Without diligence, one\u2019s stewardship efforts are uncoordinated, inconsistent, unfocused and incapable of producing material success.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Being right with God is a necessary component to achieving God\u2019s well-deserved gift of material success. However, once we are right with God, we must also be diligent.  Though obedience is key to  gaining a right standing with God, one cannot effectively multiply God-given resources without stewardship.  Proper stewardship is essential for profitability, and the key to proper stewardship is diligence.<\/strong>  Without diligence, one\u2019s stewardship efforts are uncoordinated, inconsistent, unfocused and incapable of producing material success."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"

    \u201cThe hand of the diligent<\/strong> will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor.\u201d<\/em>  Proverbs 12:24<\/strong><\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"\u201cThe hand of the diligent<\/strong> will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor.\u201d<\/em>  Proverbs 12:24<\/strong>"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"

    \u201cThe soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent<\/strong> shall be made rich.\u201d<\/em> Proverbs 13:4<\/strong><\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"\u201cThe soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent<\/strong> shall be made rich.\u201d<\/em> Proverbs 13:4<\/strong>"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"

    \u201cThe plans of the diligent<\/strong> lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.\u201d<\/em>  Proverbs 21:5<\/strong><\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"\u201cThe plans of the diligent<\/strong> lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.\u201d<\/em>  Proverbs 21:5<\/strong>"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"

    While many of us have been convicted by God and choose to no longer cheat, we sometimes slack in our diligence.  We relegate our responsibility to God. I heard a truth that is worth repeating here: as believers we ought to pray as though nothing depends on us and work as though everything does.<\/strong>  In other words, success for the believer is not just a matter of verbal obedience to God, but it also requires action on our part.   <\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"While many of us have been convicted by God and choose to no longer cheat, we sometimes slack in our diligence.  We relegate our responsibility to God. I heard a truth that is worth repeating here: as believers we ought to pray as though nothing depends on us and work as though everything does.<\/strong>  In other words, success for the believer is not just a matter of verbal obedience to God, but it also requires action on our part.   "}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"

    Diligence is the persistent application of effort towards a single goal.  Without diligence, we cannot be fruitful.<\/strong>  So then, how do we exercise diligence?  Here are seven things to consider:<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Diligence is the persistent application of effort towards a single goal.  Without diligence, we cannot be fruitful.<\/strong>  So then, how do we exercise diligence?  Here are seven things to consider:"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/list","render":"

    1. Make sure you are in right standing with God<\/li>
    2. Be clear of your mission<\/li>
    3. Have clear, actionable goals<\/li>
    4. Be focused<\/li>
    5. Be consistent<\/li>
    6. Finish what you start<\/li>
    7. Evaluate your results and continue<\/li><\/ol>","content":"
      1. Make sure you are in right standing with God<\/li>
      2. Be clear of your mission<\/li>
      3. Have clear, actionable goals<\/li>
      4. Be focused<\/li>
      5. Be consistent<\/li>
      6. Finish what you start<\/li>
      7. Evaluate your results and continue<\/li><\/ol>","data":{"listType":"ordered"},"style":{"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"

        It is God\u2019s desire that kingdom businesses are profitable, sustainable and scalable so that His will can be advanced in the earth realm. But, for that to be accomplished we must not just seek to be holy as He is; in addition, we must always, in our holiness, be effective stewards by exercising diligence in His business.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"It is God\u2019s desire that kingdom businesses are profitable, sustainable and scalable so that His will can be advanced in the earth realm. But, for that to be accomplished we must not just seek to be holy as He is; in addition, we must always, in our holiness, be effective stewards by exercising diligence in His business."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"

        My prayer for you today is that God will grant you the grace to diligently pursue the goals and challenges that He has called you to, so that you may receive the blessings of God, which makes us rich without sorrow.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"My prayer for you today is that God will grant you the grace to diligently pursue the goals and challenges that He has called you to, so that you may receive the blessings of God, which makes us rich without sorrow."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}}],"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"link","format":"url"}],"bb_access":{"can_access":true,"restrict_message":null},"app_access":{"can_access":true,"restrict_message":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nehemiahecommunity.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nehemiahecommunity.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nehemiahecommunity.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nehemiahecommunity.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nehemiahecommunity.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5044"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nehemiahecommunity.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5044\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nehemiahecommunity.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nehemiahecommunity.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nehemiahecommunity.com\/members\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}