Sermon Lazy Sluggards And Slothful People

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[2] The title of the sermon: “LAZY SLUGGARDS AND SLOTHFUL PEOPLE.”

A Sluggard Is Lazy And Slothful

• What is a sluggard? Think of a slug. Moves really, really slow. Doesn’t want to work for anything. Lazy.
• Think of homeless people who don’t have to be homeless. They do nothing all day.
• Most want to be homeless so they don’t have to do anything. Lazy. Slothful.

For example, they don’t want to go find a bathroom so they use it right there on the street.

• That’s what homeless people are doing now. Do they have to be homeless in this country?
• No, they don’t. But they would rather sit around and do nothing all day than work.
• The people who stand on the side of the road working for nothing and asking for something are sluggards.
• They want money, but they don’t contribute anything to anyone for that money.
• I can’t do that. I MUST contribute something to take money for something.

[3]

• Sluggard is slow kind. We all get lazy at times. I wrote this sermon because I’ve been tired lately.
• I haven’t been sleeping well at all. For some reason that happens to me in the Winter.
• So, what do I do? I go to the word of God for help. When I feel lazy, I get to work.
• I don’t want to be a sluggard. I don’t want to be a slow kind. I don’t want to normally be lazy.

A sluggard is someone who is habitually lazy. This means laziness becomes a HABIT for them.

• I don’t want to be sitting around doing nothing for the majority of my life.
• A sluggard is idle most of the time. Inactive. LAZY. I hate laziness. That’s why I married Pam.
• She sure isn’t lazy AT ALL. That’s why I love my Dad and Mom. They aren’t lazy AT ALL.
• They taught me not to be lazy, and I thank them for that. They made me work for everything all my life.

So that’s my opinion. And that’s just me. And my opinion doesn’t matter much at all.

• My opinion might even offend you. So, let’s forget about my opinion for now.
• Today, we’re going to see what God thinks about lazy sluggards and slothful people.
• If God’s word offends you, then you might have a problem. What does slothful mean?
• What is a slothful person?

[4]

• Inactive. Sluggish. Lazy. Indolent or idle for the majority of the time.
• Have you ever seen a lazy sluggard or a slothful person at work?
• These people will finish the little they have to do and not contribute anything else.
• They’ll just sit there and do nothing instead of contributing to something.

Pam started working at McDonald’s the moment she turned 16 years old.

• She worked hard there. Their motto there was: “If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.”
• I like that motto. No leaning. Get to cleaning. You’re at work. It’s time to work.
• When I work on something, I don’t like to see people standing around doing nothing.
• Today, we’ll see if God is similar. You might think I’m too tough. Hey, I’m not tough enough.

“Well, What Do You Want Me To Do?”

I don’t like to tell people everything they should be doing. “Well, what do you want me to do?”

• “Show me what I need to do. I don’t know what to do. What should I do?”
• After we study the Bible today, maybe you’ll see why that upsets me.
• When I work, I don’t take all these breaks. I’m going to get something done.
• Pam tells me that I starve her when we’re working. And we’ve worked in our life.
• She says, “I’m getting shaky, Josh. I need some food. You’re trying to kill me off, Josh.”
• The truth is that it’s only been 4 or 5 hours since she’s had some food. She’ll be okay.
• But she stops and gets food while I keep on working.

I tell Pam and my kids to make sure you get out of my way when I come to get a shovel of rock.

• If not, we’ll be here longer. I’ll go faster than you and work harder than you. That’s who I am.
• Will I always be the fastest or work the hardest? No, but I’ll at least give it my best shot.
• Pam and these kids here have helped shovel gravel out of trailers in 100 degree weather.
• Every one of them. Even Emma didn’t get a break. She helped too with a little shovel but she helped.
• Hard work doesn’t hurt anyone. Hard work only helps. Hard work has helped me through my life.
• I will not stop working until God is done with me. Let’s see if this is the right attitude to have.

[5] Proverbs 6:6-8 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

• God uses an ANT as an example. God says, “HEY SLUGGARD, GO WATCH THE ANT!!!”
• That ant will teach you something. Watch her work. Watch that ant, you sluggard.
• Consider her ways. BE WISE. The ways of that ant are wise. God built that wisdom into the ant.
• God made the ant a hard working creation. You won’t find sluggard ants. They work.
• But watch what it says there in verse 7.

“Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler. In other words, no one is telling that ant to go do all of these things.

• “What should I do? How do I do it? Tell me what you want me to do?”
• And these are the kind of people who won’t do anything unless you tell them everything to do.
• For example, when we’ve worked on our side business, Pam would say:
• “Just tell me what you want me to do.” She didn’t ask me that much anymore. She’s amazing now.

We work together so well that I don’t have to tell her anything to do. She already knows what to do.

• And then I can work hard on my part while she’s working hard on her part. We get it done faster.
• She never looks at me and says, “What do you want me to do?” She never stands there and watches.
• And guess what? We get things done that way.

Taylor asked Pam if she needed help with cleaning. So I had a talk with the girls.

• I said, “Hey, don’t ever ask if Mommy needs help with cleaning. The answer is YES. It’s always YES.”
• “You don’t need to ask any more. Just start cleaning. Figure it out.”
• “Do you want to go clean the toilets?” NO??? Well Mommy does it. Why can’t you?
• Don’t ask: “Dad, can I help you with anything?” Just go find something that needs to be done.
• I always need help. Look at me. I need help. ALWAYS. Same thing goes for your work.
• Just do something that helps. Use your common sense too.
• I told the girls to not go outside and start spray painting the brick on the house. That’s not helping.
• Use your brain. Don’t do things that don’t help.

That ant in that Scripture? She’s not waiting for someone to tell her what to do. That’s a wise ant.

• Don’t sit around at work and do nothing. How do you think I’ve earned good jobs and good positions?
• I don’t sit around and do nothing. People say: “Oh, you work at home? I bet that’s great.”
• Why do most people say that?
• Because they want to sit around at home and do nothing instead of working.

I don’t sit around at home doing nothing. I can’t stand being a lazy sluggard who leaches off of others.

• I will contribute to my employer. I will contribute to the job God gave me.
• They are paying me, and I will give them more than what they’re paying me.
• I treat them like I want to be treated. I work for them, and I will work hard and do a great job.
• People who know me understand that I do the best I possibly can in everything I do. Why is that?

[6] Colossians 3:22-24 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

• I might have a manager at work, but I’m actually working for God in everything that I do.
• If I make God happy, I’m sure I can make my manager happy. I’m not doing this to please man.
• I’m doing this for God. I’m working hard for God, and when I do that, man will be pleased with me.

Work Hard For God Because You Fear Him

Why do I work so hard for God? Because I fear Him. He told me to work hard.

• He says, “And WHATSOEVER YOU DO, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and NOT UNTO MEN.”
• DO IT FOR GOD. If you have a job you don’t like, change your attitude. Act like you’re working for God.
• If God were standing there watching, you would have a different attitude. “God, what do you need?”
• “You need me to clean the toilets, God? YES SIR. I will get right to it, and I’ll be happy to clean the toilets.”
• Know and understand that YOU SERVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST in this world.
• Whatever you do, you do it for God Almighty. That will change the lazy sluggard attitude.

You might ask: “How am I going to do better at watching TV, Josh? I’m pretty good at it already.”

• “I got my Lazy Boy. I got my remote control. I got my heater next to me. The bag of chips are right here.”
• “I have Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, You Tube TV. I have the sports package, HBO, Cinemax. I got it all.”
• “I’ve got Little Debbie’s on this side. I’ve got my 2 liter of Coke. Honey Buns. Chex Mix.”
• “You can’t get much better at watching TV than me. How do you expect me to do a better job than that?”
• If that’s what you’re doing all day, that’s called a SLUGGARD. That’s called SLOTHFUL.

Some men think the wife should wait on them and do everything for them.

• WRONG, GET UP YOU LAZY BUM. Do something. You’re supposed to be the leader of the home.
• LEAD. It’s not easy leading. That’s right. IT’S NOT EASY. That’s why you let your wife do it.
• You can be a lazy sluggard and not contribute anything while she takes care of everything.
• GET UP. Get to work. Go make some money. And you wonder why no one comes to this church.
• You wonder why 99.99% of preachers are scared to preach what the Bible teaches?
• Because most people get mad and upset. Maybe you haven’t figured this out yet. I DON’T CARE.
• I will preach the word of God and keep preaching it.

Oh, you’re unemployed? Why is that?

• Go find another job. Spend all day every day looking for a job until you find one.
• When you’ve done that, and you still can’t find one, then you can complain. You won’t be able to.
• There are jobs everywhere around here.

A man called me asking for money. I asked him if he had a job. He says, “NO, but I’m looking for one.”

• I said, “Oh yeah, you can’t find one? There are jobs everywhere. Go find one.”
• He says, “I’ve applied at a couple places the past few months.” I said, “That’s it. Go apply to some more.”
• “Keep going until you get one.” Don’t call me asking for money when you haven’t worked for anything.
• And I’m not joking about that.

And how about women who wait for the husband to do everything?

• The woman sits at home with no children, does nothing all day, but makes lists for the husband to do.
• “Here’s your to do list, honey.” Pam tried that with me once. Ask her how that worked out for her.
• I made her a list and told her to go do it all.

[7] Ephesians 5:22-24 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

• EVERY THING right there means in TO DO LISTS as well. Don’t make your husband a to do list.
• If he’s out there working hard all the time while you make to do lists, you could have knocked off half of them in the time you wrote the list.
• “Oh, the door knob doesn’t work honey. I need you to fix it.”
• Well I suggest you get a screwdriver and go on You Tube and figure it out.

“But I don’t know how. I’ve never done it before.” Well, guess what? There was a first time for me too.

• And I figured it out. So you can figure it out too. “But I can’t. I just can’t.” Well I did it.
• I’m not some great god from heaven. I’m from earth just like you. Get to work. Figure something out.
• People say to me: “But you’re just smart, Josh. You know how to do things.”
• Really? I don’t think so. I had to work hard and figure things out.

Did I Wait For Someone To Teach Me How To Do That?

I know how to create websites. Did anyone teach me how to do that? No, they didn’t.

• I’ve never had one class on it. I researched. I worked. I figured out the code on my own.
• I figured out Word Press on my own. I figured out how to rank higher in search engines.
• And what did that result in? You might think that did nothing for God.
• But God helped us to be ranked #1 in the world for “HOW TO MAKE IT TO HEAVEN.”
• This tiny little church in Shelbyville, Kentucky is ranked number one in the world for the most important thing EVER.
• How to make it to heaven. Hey, I worked hard to get to that point, and God took it the rest of the way.
• I could have just watched TV all my life on the couch, but I chose not to because I’m not a sluggard.

We’ll keep going with Scriptures today and you’ll see that God doesn’t accept, “BUT I CAN’T!!!”

• “But I don’t know how.” Hey, listen, God doesn’t accept that from you. He made you.
• He knows you better than that. There’s ALWAYS another way. You work. God helps you.
• I don’t accept excuses. I don’t say, “I CAN’T.” I know that I can get things done just like other people can.
• Go try something on your own and be useful. Stop being worthless with your to do lists.
• Get that list and go mark it off yourself.

[8] Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

• Hey women, do something for your husbands. Women who divorce their husbands will say:
• “But he just doesn’t love me anymore.” Well maybe all you did was give him to do lists.
• Husbands, love your wives. Give them all that you have.
• Get out there and work for them. Go make some money and take care of them.
• But women, you are to HELP your husbands.
• “Oh Josh, I don’t believe you just said that. Oh no you didn’t. Have you not been watching CNN?”
• “Have you not been watching the View? What’s wrong with you? We are progressive and modern.”

[9] Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

• So look, I don’t care what women think today. I don’t care what the world thinks. I know the truth.
• God wrote it write there. HEY WOMEN, YOUR CREATOR said: “I will make an help meet for him.”
• If you want your husband to love you, then why don’t you try fulfilling the purpose God made for you?
• STOP BEING A LAZY SLOTH and get up and help your husband.

AND THE LORD GOD SAID: “I will make an help meet for him.” If you want to be something else, good luck to you.

• If you want to ignore God, good luck to you. Your life won’t be good.
• You want to be something else than what God created you to be? Fight against God. You’ll lose.
• And then you can call me a cave man, pig, loser, idiot, or whatever else. I don’t care. AT ALL.
• Let’s go back to Proverbs Chapter 6 and read more about the ant. I love ants. Why? They work hard.

[10] Proverbs 6:9-11 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

• God says, “HEY, WAKE UP!!! It’s time to get to work just like that ant.” When are you going to wake up?
• A little sleep here. A little slumber there. A little folding of the hands. Just lie around.
• Just sit in the chair and watch TV. Just sit there all day doing nothing. Go to sleep.
• Don’t know what time of day it is because you lost track. The day and night runs together.
• Still doing nothing. SLUGGARD. “Get up,” God says. Go do something!!! Work!!!

If not, what does the Bible say? And look, THIS WILL HAPPEN.

• So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
• You will be poor. You will be like an armed robber in your life. “GIVE ME THIS! GIVE ME THAT!”
• You won’t want to work for anything but you’ll want to take everything.
• I’ve helped enough people in my life to understand how it works.
• When you give someone something, MOST just want more. “You need to give me this and that.”
• That’s what Proverbs tells us will happen. The word of God proves itself as truth in every instance.

I’ve been told in my life: “You NEED to give me this, or you NEED to give me that.”

• “You’re just lucky so you need to give me everything. You need to buy me this and that.”
• I said, “What? I don’t need to buy you anything.” This came from a man that didn’t have a job.
• I’ve worked since I was old enough to dig post holes. I said, “Dad, I can’t do this.”
• He said, “Oh yeah you can. Get to work, son. Get it done.” And guess what? I got it done.

I Worked Hard And God Helped

Guess what? Everything I have? I worked hard for it. And God made it happen.

• It didn’t just appear out of thin air. God makes you work for things. If you’re willing to work, He provides.
• If you want to be a lazy bum, don’t expect help from God. That’s the truth.
• If you work hard for God according to His will, God will work hard for you.

[11] Proverbs 10:26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.

• If you’re a sluggard or a sloth, let me give you a wake-up call right now.
• NO ONE WANTS TO BE AROUND YOU. Everyone owes you.
• You only call someone when you want something. And guess what the Bible tells us?
• “As vinegar to the teeth.” That’s sour. “As smoke to the eyes.” That’s irritating.
• Is that what you want to be to others? I sure don’t.
• I don’t want people to say, “Oh great, it’s Josh calling me.” Sour and irritating sluggards and sloths.
• This is the Bible speaking. If this makes you mad, maybe something needs to change.

[12] Proverbs 12:24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

• Lazy sluggards and slothful people will be ruled over. The hand of the diligent shall rule.
• God’s servants will rule over all one day. God doesn’t want His people to be slothful. Understand that.

[13] Proverbs 12:27 The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.

• The slothful man is too lazy to continue working on anything. He quits early. He stops. He gives up.
• He takes a break often. “BUT THE SUBSTANCE OF A DILIGENT MAN IS PRECIOUS.”
• What’s a diligent man? Let’s look up the word diligent.

[14]

• The diligent man is steady. He works constantly. He doesn’t take a job and quit on the first day.
• He keeps working hard day in and day out, month upon month, year upon year. He gets things done.
• He is constantly exerting effort. He pays attention. He learns and works hard steadily. He’s careful.
• He does things that make sense. If something isn’t working, he tries something else and gets it done.
• God says, “The substance of a diligent man is precious.” That’s precious to God. A sluggard is not.
• If my wife were lazy, which she is NOT, she would not be so precious to me. God says the same thing.
• In other words, get to work and don’t stop. Keep working until you find something that works.

[15] Proverbs 13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

• The lazy sluggards and slothful people want everything, but they have nothing.
• They want the government to give them everything. “Well, I vote Democrat so I can get free money.”
• “I don’t want them to take away my funds.” Well, you didn’t do anything for it.
• What did you do? Do you enjoy taking money for nothing?
• Those are the same people that have nothing. GOD SAYS SO. They will never have anything.
• “But the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.” Fat also means rich, wealthy, affluent.

God never says that wealth, riches, and affluence are a bad thing. LOVING THOSE THINGS ARE BAD.

• For example, God has helped me greatly in my life but I don’t love the THINGS that He’s given me.
• I don’t love my house. I don’t have to have my house. I would be happy in a much smaller house.
• God knows that. I only have a nice home because it’s a good investment. And God has helped me.
• Why? Because I am diligent. I work hard. I don’t stop working. I work smart. I don’t waste time.
• I give my employer all that I have every day. I work hard for them just like I’m working for God.
• My wife works hard for me each day. In reality, I work hard for my wife and kids each day.
• Why am I at work? To feed them, to clothe them, and to give them a home to live in. I work for them too.

[16] Proverbs 15:19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.

• God doesn’t talk good of the slothful man. Their way is as an hedge of thorns.
• Try to go that way. It won’t work. You might think it’s easier, but it’s not.
• You won’t find your way by being lazy and slothful. YOU WILL NOT. It’s going to be tougher.

So, look, when you’re feeling lazy it’s time to get to work. When you feel like a sluggard, get up and move.

• Go for a brisk walk outside. Do some work. Fix that door knob you wanted your husband to fix.
• Go wash the vinyl siding on your house that has green stuff all over it.
• Go paint the trim on your house so the wood doesn’t rot.
• Clean out the gutter so your basement doesn’t flood. Go do something useful.

Go Give The Gospel To Someone

Go give the Gospel to someone. Do something else besides sitting on your butt.

• Let me give you a tip: WATCHING TV WILL NEVER HELP YOU AT ALL!!! NONE!!!
• So why do it? You don’t have anything else to do? Wake up. Get up sluggard.
• There’s always something to do. Look around. You have a purpose here. Fulfill that purpose.

[17] Proverbs 18:9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

• Do you see the truth in the Bible? The slothful people will also be those who waste things.
• It’s true. Give a homeless person some food to eat. They’ll throw it on the ground.
• It’s not what they wanted so they’ll waste it by throwing it on the ground and stomping it.
• A lazy person will be the first to throw something with worth away. A GREAT WASTER.
• I’ve seen it before many times in my life.

Get a pay check on Friday and go waste it all at Wal-Mart that very same day.

• Slothful and lazy people will waste all their money on nothing. What do they have to show for it?
• NOTHING. What happened to all the money? I don’t know. Where did it go?
• I know one place it can go. USELESS THINGS. I know another place it can go.

THE BELLY. Don’t spend all your money on food, fast food, restaurants. You don’t need expensive meals.

• I don’t go out to eat all the time at restaurants. Why? Because it costs too much.
• We can eat very healthy and very well at home for probably 3 to 10 times less than a restaurant.
• We can avoid health problems, doctor bills, dentist bills, the emergency room, and ambulance costs.

When you eat too much, it will make you lazy and slothful. I’ve been there and done that.

• When I started my first engineering job, I stopped doing physical work. I started eating more.
• Do you know why? Because I made more money and I could buy any food I wanted.
• Every couple hours I would go to the vending machine. Soda and chips or candy bar.
• Fast food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I went downhill really fast. I got lazy and fat.
• I got very unhealthy. I had all types of problems, and then I woke up. Don’t be like that.

Don’t waste your money because you LUST after food and become lazy and slothful.

• One way of becoming a sluggard is lusting after food.
• Listen, when you want some food really bad, just stop yourself. It becomes easier and easier.
• Understand food is not THAT important. You don’t have to have fast food.
• Have an apple and some sunflower seeds. Have a glass of real milk versus a Coke.

Drink water and not Coke. God made water for you to drink and it’s my favorite drink.

• You won’t miss any of that stuff after you see how much better you feel. You’ll have more energy.
• You’ll have a lot less trouble being a sluggard. I can promise you that. You will feel amazing.
• You won’t need medicine when you eat healthy foods all the time and drink healthy drinks.
• You’ll save money on medicine and doctor bills. You will do better at your job and at reading God’s word.
• You will think more clearly. You will make better decisions.
• You can do it. It’s not that difficult. If I can do it, you can do it. I promise you that. God will help you.

[18] Proverbs 19:15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

• Being slothful puts you into a deep sleep.
• If you’ve been slothful and you’re hearing this now, it’s time to wake up.
• It’s time to get up. Its time to do some work. If not, your idle soul shall suffer hunger.
• You will go hungry. The Bible says so. Get up and work or go hungry. Your kids will go hungry.

[19] Proverbs 19:24 A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

• When Pam worked as a nurse, she had a patient that was so fat and lazy that he wanted Pam to feed him.
• He was so slothful that he wouldn’t feed himself, but he wanted that food really bad.
• Do you think Pam fed him? Of course not. FEED YOURSELF YOU LAZY SLUGGARD!!!
• “And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.”

[20] Proverbs 20:4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

• It’s a little cold outside when the sluggard needs to plow the ground, and the sluggard won’t do it.
• “Oh, it’s too cold. Oh, it’s too hot.” Excuse after excuse. Stop making excuses and do it.
• If you won’t do it because all of the conditions aren’t perfect for you, then you’ll beg in harvest.
• And you’ll have nothing. God doesn’t want you to be a beggar.

[21] Proverbs 30:8-9 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

• We don’t want to be poor in our life. But we don’t want to have great riches either.
• God, please give us what we need but do not make us full. We don’t want to be poor.
• If we are, we’ll steal and take the name of God in vain. We aren’t to be beggars. We are to get to work.

[22] 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

• If you don’t work, you don’t eat. Does God give a condition in that Scripture right there?
• No, He doesn’t. Does God give an age there? Older people might think that they can’t work.
• If you planned well in your life, worked all your life, saved during your life, you won’t be a beggar when you’re older.
• Now you show me an example of an older person in the Bible that didn’t work.
• You don’t work. You don’t eat. Now am I talking about women who stay at home with children?
• NO, I’M NOT. Do you know why I’m not? Because they are working. They have a very important job.
• THAT’S WORK.

Slothful People Are Disorderly

Notice what verse 11 says: “These people are disorderly. Not working at all. Busybodies.”

• They are always causing problems because they don’t have anything else to do.
• They are always gossiping, causing issues, and never working. Do you see what God says in verse 12?
• For all of you people out there like that, God says:
• “That with quietness they work and eat their own bread.”

In other words, don’t come asking for bread if you won’t work. Don’t come asking for food if you won’t work.

• Don’t come asking for money if you won’t work. What are you supposed to do instead?
• SHUT UP, GET TO WORK, AND EAT THE FOOD YOU BOUGHT. You do the work. You get to eat the food.
• “With quietness they work and eat their own bread.”
• People that won’t work like to make all of their problems your problems.
• “Well, this happened and I really need that. That happened and I really need this.”
• They make it your problem when it’s not your problem.
• If they would simply work and spend that money wisely, they wouldn’t have so many problems.
• Those problems are there because they won’t work. LAZY SLUGGARDS. SLOTHS.

[23] Proverbs 21:25-26 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. 26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

• The slothful won’t work YET they desire and want everything.
• They believe that you owe them even though they didn’t work for anything. BUT YOU OWE THEM.
• They REFUSE to labor. They refuse to work. “He coveteth greedily all the day long.”
• He wants what you have but won’t do the same amount of work as you.

The righteous gives and spares not. Gives to who? Not the lazy sluggard and the sloth.

• The Bible says if you don’t work, you don’t eat. It’s not a contradiction.
• There are some people who truly cannot work and earn enough to feed themselves.
• Others want things above and beyond what we should give.
• For example, some people might want a $60,000 truck.
• They think you should give them money to buy that truck. Or, you should help them to get that truck.
• That’s not what they need. If a person needs food or clothing AND is working, we should help them.

[24] 1 Timothy 6:6-8 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

• If you have food and clothing and nothing else, God says to be happy.
• If you have a job, God says to be happy with what you’re making. Use that to live how you can live.
• Don’t ask others to give you things that you want. When you can afford them, then you can get them.
• God says to be happy with what you have. Be happy with your wages. THEN, He will help you.
• Work hard at work. Don’t be a sloth. And you will advance in your work. God will help you.
• Don’t be a lazy sloth and count on everyone else to get you what you want.

[25] Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

• Do not want the material things of this world. When you don’t, that’s when God gives to you.

[26] Proverbs 22:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

• When something needs to be done, the slothful man makes excuses. “There’s a lion in the streets.”
• “I can’t go out and work today. The lion is out there and will murder me. I am scared.”
• Let’s say that your kids are starving at home because you haven’t worked and you’ve been a sluggard.
• Your children are going to die today if you don’t go out and get a job and bring home some food.
• But there really is a lion standing out there in your way. And it’s a fierce lion. What are you going to do?

Is The Lion Stopping You From Doing Something?

Will you make an excuse that the lion is stopping you and let your children die?

• What are you going to do as a man? I’ll tell you what I’ll do. And you that know me, know it’s the truth.
• I’m going to go out there, and I’m going to rip that lion’s head off if I need to. God will be with me.
• I have faith. Why would God help me?
• Because He knows that I need to feed my children and that I do my best to follow Him.

[27] 1 Samuel 17:34-35 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

• Those animals took a lamb of David’s flock. That was David’s lamb. David said, “I don’t think so.”
• What does David do? David goes after the one who took is his lamb. David wasn’t scared.
• GOD GAVE US DOMINION OVER THAT LION. I’m not scared of that lion. Get out of my way, LION.
• That’s the attitude you need to have. NOT AN ATTITUDE OF EXCUSES AND LAZINESS.

[28] 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

• Fear, laziness, and slothfulness all go together. Those things didn’t come from God.
• Some people might think God is taking it easy up there in heaven. God’s not a sluggard or a sloth.

[29] John 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

• God works. Do you know how many people He’s taking care of today. You just have a few.

[30] Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

• If you simply do what God asks, which is NOT being a sluggard, He works for you.
• God doesn’t want you to be a lazy bum. God doesn’t want you to be poor. Churches have lied to you.
• Some people believe that “Christians” must be poor. God never says that anywhere. He says the opposite.
• God works. We follow God. We work. And we don’t just put forth a minimal effort. We give it all we have.

[31] Proverbs 24:30-31 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

• The slothful are void of understanding because they are too lazy to do anything.
• Reading the Bible is how you get wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.
• If you’re too lazy to read the Bible every day, then you’re a sluggard. It’s that simple.
• And the Bible tells us how we can recognize sloths and sluggards very easily.
• Just take a look at where they live. Go by their home. “I went by the field of the slothful.”

And what do you find? “It was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof.”

• “The stone wall was broken down.” So, when you get home today maybe you should take a look around.
• Maybe your eyes have been shut for many years. Maybe you need to wake up today.
• Look at your home. Look at the outside of it. What do you see?
• If you’ve been a sloth, you’ll find what the Bible says. You need to get up and get to work, SLUGGARD.
• I already know what you’ve been doing. You’ve been sitting on your butt watching TV and eating.
• You sit there like a lazy bum all day and won’t get up and take care of anything.
• And then you’ll whine and complain to everyone else when something breaks, and you don’t have any money to fix it.

And listen to this today. These same sluggards are getting money from the government for doing nothing.

• So let me ask those sluggards and sloths this question today. Where is that free money coming from?
• Do you understand where it’s coming from? It doesn’t grow on a magical money tree.
• It’s coming from the men and women who are working their butts off all day and night.
• And you’re sitting there taking the money that they worked hard for. They weren’t sluggards.
• They weren’t sloths. Does that feel good to you? You’re just like thieves coming armed to take from them.
• If this country followed God’s laws, you wouldn’t be eating. You wouldn’t have a home.
• When you get free money from the government, you’re TAKING from others who worked for it.
• If that feels good to you, SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH YOU. It’s wrong. Get a job SLUGGARD!!!

[32] Proverbs 26:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

• “Well, I can’t do this or that because I’ll lose my free money from the government.”
• NO!!! You need to stop taking from others you thief. Get to work and be happy with what God gives you.
• “Well, I just haven’t had the same opportunity.” Excuse after excuse. Let me give you an example.
• Pam right there got a job as soon as she could. She worked hard all day long and never stopped.

Hey, Go Work Your Way Up Somewhere

She worked for McDonald’s in the mid 90’s. She worked her way up to shift manager.

• Listen, I don’t know of anyone who works harder than she has. That’s what I like to see.
• That’s what God wants to see. If she were lazy, I wouldn’t have married her.
• If she were a sluggard, I wouldn’t be with her today.
• In her early 20’s, she was making over $40,000 per year working for McDonald’s. $20 / hour.
• And that was 20 years ago. And yes, that is McDonald’s. Anyone can get a job there.
• Why was Pam able to do that? Because her managers saw how she worked.
• Did she get some special opportunity that you don’t have?

Did she know someone that got her a minimum wage job at McDonald’s. NO, SHE DIDN’T.

• She went and got a minimum wage job and worked her way up. How? THROUGH HARD WORK.
• She didn’t quit when the work got tougher. She worked harder and fought through it.
• She got up at 4:00 AM and opened the store for years.
• She didn’t sleep until 9 AM, get up, walk to the couch, turn on the TV, and sit there all day.
• She didn’t go whine and ask the rest of the family and friends for money.
• “Oh, it’s not fair. I didn’t get the same opportunity. So I just sit and home and do nothing.”
• “WOE IS ME. WOE IS ME. There’s a lion in the streets.” Hey, there is no lion there. Get to work.

[33] Proverbs 26:14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.

• The slothful just lays in the bed all day.
• As the people working are going in and out of doors, the sloths turn in their bed.
• Being fat goes alone with being a lazy sluggard and sloth. “I don’t know how I got so fat.”
• “It’s not fair.” Yes it is fair. Get up and exercise. Get out of the bed. Get up off your lazy butt.
• Stop stuffing your face full of trash food. Why don’t you try eating an apple instead of a doughnut.
• Drink water versus drinking your soda. Go for a walk while you listen to the Bible instead of watching TV.
• Do something with your life besides sitting there and getting fat.

[34] Proverbs 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

• A sluggard is not going to be wise. Why is that? What does this tell you?
• It takes hard work to become wise. It takes hard work to gain knowledge.
• Do you know how many times I’ve been told: “Josh, you’re just naturally smarter and it’s easy for you.”
• Is that what you think? What I preach from the Bible, didn’t just miraculously appear.
• I couldn’t understand most of the Bible just a few years ago. But what did I do?
• I work hard for it every single day. I study it hard every single day. And what does God do?
• He rewards me with wisdom and knowledge. And He will do the same for you.

“But it’s too hard. It’s too difficult. I’m just not smart like you. I just can’t do it.” Are you hearing this?

• Yes, you can. When I went to college, my goal was to finish Engineering with a 4.0 GPA.
• I didn’t enter college with the best education from a public school.
• I took Calculus in high school for a year.
• When I got to college, they were past what I learned in high school in the first week. I took a big gulp.
• Hey, it wasn’t easy. My parents and my wife saw the work I put into college.
• I didn’t go out any night. Friday nights were doing assignments and studying for quizzes and tests.
• It wasn’t easy AT ALL. I worked very, very hard.

A fellow student said, “There’s no way you can finish with a 4.0 GPA. No one has ever done that.”

• Don’t tell me I can’t work harder and do what no one has ever done before. Don’t tell me that.
• God made me, and I can do whatever He allows me to do. Don’t put limits on me.
• And yes, I finished undergraduate and graduate with a 4.0 GPA.
• First in the entire University of over 20,000 students.
• I’m not telling you that to brag. I’m telling you that because you can do the same thing.

All you have to do is put the work into something and trust God will help you.

• I prayed many times for God to help me out on a test. “Well, that’s silly. God doesn’t care.”
• Oh yes He does. He cares about everything. There is nothing too small for Him to care about.
• He made this entire world. He made you. And He cares about everything. Understand that.
• Don’t let ANYONE limit you. God is the only one who can limit you, and He says there is no limit.

[35] Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

• I believe what God says. I’m not calling God a liar. With God, nothing is impossible.
• Don’t let people put you down and turn you into a sluggard.
• Don’t let your family put you down and take away all your hope.
• “Well you’ll NEVER be able to do that. You’ll NEVER be able to be that.”

The people who say these things need to shut their mouth and go back to being miserable.

• Don’t listen to those evil people. Don’t let anyone STOP you from working hard for God.
• “Well, our family just can’t do those things. We’re just not smart enough. We’re just not this.”
• “Were just not that. We’re just going to be lazy all our life.” NO!!! You don’t have to be that.
• Do you know who says so? Not me. GOD SAYS SO.
• The sluggard will act like their wise, but let me give you a tip for your life.

Never Take Advice From A Sluggard Or Slothful Person

Don’t take advice from a sluggard and a lazy bum. NEVER take advice from them.

• They think they are wiser than anyone in their own conceit. They have no wisdom.
• THE BIBLE SAYS SO. Who will you take advice from?
• From someone who studies the Bible with everything that they have OR the sluggard.

In my life, people have come to me for advice. We’ve done pretty good in our life with God helping us.

• Nice home paid for. No debt. Money saved for the children. Money saved in case something goes wrong.
• Those people come for advice, and then they ignore the advice you give them.
• Instead, they take advice from this world or from a lazy sluggard. Why would you do that?
• Then, when things don’t work out. What happens? They come back asking for money.
• They just believe I’ve just gotten lucky in my life so why listen to him. “You’re just lucky.”
• News flash. It’s not luck at all. I’ve worked my butt off every day of my life. God knows that.
• God sees that. I work for Him and no one else. And what does He do? He helps me. It’s not luck. It’s God.

[36] Ecclesiastes 10:18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

• My house isn’t dropping through. I’m not a sloth. “By much slothfulness the building decayeth.”
• Why is the house falling apart? Through idleness. The Bible says so.
• You don’t work on your home because you’re lazy. You don’t fix anything because you’re lazy.

Do you remember the man who gave money to 3 of his servants in Matthew Chapter 25?

• He gave 5 talents to one servant, 2 talents to the second servant, and 1 talent to the third servant.
• He gave them talents according to their abilities. The first two worked and doubled the money.
• The third servant went and hid the 1 talent and did nothing with it. He was scared he would lose it.

[37] Matthew 25:24-25 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

• Scared and lazy go hand in hand. “Well I didn’t do it because I was scared you would get mad at me.”
• “I didn’t want to do the wrong thing.” Hey, listen, you learn by making mistakes. This servant did nothing.
• Is it better to go out there, try, make mistakes, and learn VERSUS doing nothing? Oh yes it is.
• I’ve made countless mistakes in my life. And I learned the most from making those mistakes.
• Did I make those mistakes purposely? Oh no I didn’t. I gave it my best shot and I messed up. But I learned.
• Watch what the master says to the servant who did nothing. This is God speaking to SLUGGARDS.

[38] Matthew 25:26-27 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

• You WICKED and SLOTHFUL SERVANT!!! Don’t be a last sluggard. Don’t be a bum. Get to work.
• “Well, what do I do?” Here’s a tip. Read the Bible and see what God wants you to do.
• I’ve told you what He doesn’t want you to do: NOTHING. Don’t just sit and do nothing.
• Watching TV is nothing. Watching TV is worthless. You actually go backwards watching that trash.

[39] Romans 12:10-11 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

• Don’t go to work for yourself. Go to work for the Lord. When you go to work, you’re working for God.
• It doesn’t matter what you’re doing. HE IS YOUR MANAGER. Serve Him at work. Serve Him out of work.
• Give the Gospel to others. What’s the Gospel? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

[40] Hebrews 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

• Let’s say this one more time. “THAT YE BE NOT SLOTHFUL.” You also aren’t to be impatient.
• Don’t give up, quit, and become a sluggard and sloth because you don’t get what you want.
• You simply should be happy with what you have and keep working hard for God. He’ll take care of the rest.
• But you aren’t to sit and do nothing and just WAIT UPON THE LORD to do everything for you.

[41] Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

• Notice what that verse says EXACTLY. Does it say, “They that wait upon the Lord shall sit on the couch and watch TV?”
• No, it doesn’t. They shall run and not get tired. Running is work. Try it sometime. It’s work.
• When you work hard and wait upon the Lord to work things out, your strength shall be renewed.
• People who work harder have more energy than those who do nothing. You expend energy and God renews your energy.
• He designed us that way. He tells us in the Bible what works and what doesn’t.
• Being a lazy sluggard and a slothful person will make God very angry. Don’t do it. Get up and work.

Let’s pray.