A Wonderful Blessing• To Love and Enjoy our Duties: To Love and Enjoy our Duties: • Happy when Going to Work:

• Nothing is better for a man than that he Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. enjoy good in his labor. Eccl 2:24Eccl 2:24

• Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. for it is his heritage. Eccl 5:18-19Eccl 5:18-19

•

A Wonderful Blessing• To Love and Enjoy our Duties: To Love and Enjoy our Duties: • Happy when Going to Work: • Nothing is better Nothing is better for a man than that he should for a man than that he should

eat and drink, and that his soul eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy should enjoy good in his laborgood in his labor. . Eccl 2:24Eccl 2:24

• Here is what I have seen: Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good to enjoy the good of all his laborof all his labor in which he toils under the sun in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; all the days of his life which God gives him; for for it is his it is his heritageheritage. . Eccl 5:18-19Eccl 5:18-19

A Wonderful Blessing• To Love and Enjoy our Duties: To Love and Enjoy our Duties: • Happy when Going Home:

• Live joyfully with the wife whom you Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun. you perform under the sun. Eccl 9:9Eccl 9:9

A Wonderful Blessing• To Love and Enjoy our Duties: To Love and Enjoy our Duties: • Happy when Going Home:

• Live joyfully with the wife whom you love Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; vanity; for that is your for that is your portion in lifeportion in life, , and and in the labor which you perform in the labor which you perform under the under the sun. sun. Eccl 9:9Eccl 9:9

A Wonderful Blessing• To Love and Enjoy our Duties: To Love and Enjoy our Duties: • Happy when serving God:

As the deer pants for the water, so As the deer pants for the water, so pants my soul for You, O God. 2 pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the My soul thirsts for God, for the

living God. When shall I come and living God. When shall I come and appear before God? appear before God? Ps 42:1-2Ps 42:1-2

A Wonderful Blessing• To Love and Enjoy our Duties: To Love and Enjoy our Duties: • Happy when serving God:

O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. 2 dry and thirsty land where there is no water. 2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. 3 Because see Your power and Your glory. 3 Because

Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. 4 Thus I will bless You while I shall praise You. 4 Thus I will bless You while I

live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. Ps Ps 63:1-463:1-4

A Wonderful Blessing• To Love and Enjoy our Duties: To Love and Enjoy our Duties: • Happy when serving God:

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my

soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3 Who soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your

diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed with good things, so that your youth is renewed

like the eagle’s. like the eagle’s. Ps 103:1-5Ps 103:1-5

There is little difference in devotion to spouse, devotion to job and devotion to our God. Life is better and more fulfilling when shared. The Psalmists enjoyed the need to please God. Everything they enjoyed was a gift from HimThe felt compelled to show their respect and gratitude with devotion and service, awe and reverence.

• eusebeia... from eu, well, and seboimai, to be devout, denotes the piety which, characterized by a Godward attitude, does that which is well-pleasing to Him...” (Vine, Vol 2 p. 162; 2150).

• eusebeia... reverence, respect; in the Bible piety towards God, godliness...”(Thayer, 262; 2150)

• eusebes... from eu, well, sebomia to reverence, the root seb- signifying sacred awe, describes reverence exhibited especially in actions, reverence or awe well directed... the energy which, directed by holy awe of God, finds expression in devoted activity... In the NT it is used of a pious attitude towards God, Acts 10:2,7...” (Vine Vol 1, p. 308)

Man’s deep longing(virtue), often on the body. Man’s deep longing(virtue), often on the body. Games created to fulfill this deep longing for Games created to fulfill this deep longing for excellence and honor from others. excellence and honor from others. There are two serious and grave limitations:There are two serious and grave limitations:

It is a “perishable crown,” It is a “perishable crown,” all “bodily exercise profits a little.” all “bodily exercise profits a little.”

Few athletes win more than once. Few athletes win more than once. Exercise gives less and less back as we age. Exercise gives less and less back as we age.

Do you not know that those who run in a race Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 and everyone such a way that you may win. 25 and everyone who competes in the games exercises self-who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 therefore I run in such a way, as not without therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I buffet my body and make it my slave, 27 but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. myself should be disqualified. 1Cor. 9:24-271Cor. 9:24-27

ONLY ONE RECEIVES THE PRIZEONLY ONE RECEIVES THE PRIZE? ? RUN IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU MAY WINRUN IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU MAY WIN. . EXERCISES SELF-CONTROL EXERCISES SELF-CONTROL in all things. in all things. They They TO RECEIVE A PERISHABLE WREATHTO RECEIVE A PERISHABLE WREATH WE AN IMPERISHABLEWE AN IMPERISHABLE. . I RUN IN SUCH A WAY…I RUN IN SUCH A WAY… NOT WITHOUT AIMNOT WITHOUT AIM

I BOX IN SUCH A WAY NOT BEATING AIRI BOX IN SUCH A WAY NOT BEATING AIR I BUFFET MY BODY AND MAKE IT MY SLAVEI BUFFET MY BODY AND MAKE IT MY SLAVE

lest lest I MYSELF SHOULD BE DISQUALIFIEDI MYSELF SHOULD BE DISQUALIFIED. . 1Cor. 9:24-271Cor. 9:24-27

The emotions and motivations are right.The emotions and motivations are right.God created us to honor achievement and long God created us to honor achievement and long for mastery. But not to waste on our outer man. for mastery. But not to waste on our outer man. Therefore we do not lose heart, Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. (NAS) being renewed day by day. (NAS) 2 2 Cor. 4:16Cor. 4:16This is why Bodily exercise profits a little. This is why Bodily exercise profits a little. Paul changed his focus to the inner man. Paul changed his focus to the inner man. from material (temporary) to spiritual(eternal).from material (temporary) to spiritual(eternal).From perishable to imperishable crown. From perishable to imperishable crown.

• Abraham My friend forever Isa. 41:8• David man after My own heart 1Sam. 13:14• I speak to Moses face to face Ex. 33:11• Daniel you are greatly beloved Dan. 9:23• I have no one like him on the earth Job 1:8• My beloved Son I am well pleased Mt. 17:5• Meek and quiet spirit precious in His sight I

Pet 3:3-6• With proper exercise we can join them!

• For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Titus 2:11-13

What we are exercising for God to seeWhat we are exercising for God to see

•And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.’” So Aaron held his peace.  Lev 10:3