"Slothful Servants with Sluggish Souls" (Proverbs 13:4)

Sanctification is the process of becoming like Jesus Christ

Proverbs 13:4 “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, But the soul of the diligent is enriched.”

Stagnant Sanctification

No Study; No Prayer

No desire for these things

Find it boring/ Would rather watch T.V. or put on a movie or go out and do something else

Find it too difficult so we just give up/ Not important enough for us to focus and keep trying

Blame it on our lack of energy when really we just have no desire/ We give up 5 minutes of sleep for many things

No time for these things

Find time for many other activities/ Will make time for them if necessary

Blame the “busyness” of our lives/ Swamped; Tied-up with other things

Just “too much” on our minds

We are professional excuse makers and every time we begin looking for one the enemy will make sure to hand it to us directly.

Craving; Starving

Our spirits thrive on godliness and the things of God

We were made in His image and brought to life by the breath of His Spirit.

Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4 “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”

We were made to worship and obey Yahweh yet we neglect our purpose and wonder why we feel incomplete

We attempt to fill ourselves with “junk food” and wonder why we do not feel filled. (Nutrient Deficiency)

Alcoholism, Drugs, Sexual Immorality, Greed and the Lusts of the Flesh rather than filling ourselves with the things of God

It is easier and feels more natural to our fallen condition to satisfy our fading flesh over our eternal spirit.

The Bible says the works of the world are “unfruitful” (Ephesians 5:11)

Get Nothing; Go Empty

We are lazy toward God

"The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing...”

We criticize a generation for wanting all things without working for them and then proceed to be the same when it comes to our sanctification.

We must work toward our sanctification and God will be faithful to sanctify

Diligent Development

Much Study; Much Prayer

It is TRUTH that sanctifies us (STUDY)

John 17:17 “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.”

The Father has answered the prayer of His Son.

To hear, read and do what the word of God has commanded

James 1:22 “But become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

The word of God is good for reproof, for correction and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)

It is GOD who sanctifies us (PRAYER)

You have a direct hotline to the Author of the Holy Bible. (The Holy Spirit of God)

1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Spend time with Yahweh.

He will draw you into Himself and make you like His Son.

You will not be starved for His presence; His wisdom; His strength.

“...but the soul of the diligent is enriched.”

Hard-working; Painstaking;

Diligent in your studies, Diligent in your prayer life, Diligent in your obedience to live righteously and share the gospel with the whole creation. (Mark 16:15)

Diligent in loving Christ by keeping His commandments

Enriched; Enlightened

Psalm 1:1–4 “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of Yahweh, And in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.”

We are made complete; whole.

We are enriched; improved; enhanced; refined; upgraded in our sanctification by study, prayer and obedience which is the work of Christ in us

We receive the nutrients that we naturally lack apart from Him

This is the process of Christ being formed in us

Gain Favor with God

Someone in whom He is well pleased

He blesses you and the works of your hands

Psalm 5:12 “For it is You who blesses the righteous one, O Yahweh, You surround him with favor as with a large shield.”

Psalm 30:5 “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.”

Psalm 90:17 “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And establish for us the work of our hands; Establish the work of our hands.”

Nothing is more beneficial to us than the favor of God

God bestows favor on the diligent and makes them useful for Him.

Everlasting Efficacy

Unlimited Usefulness

What use would God have in a slothful servant with a sluggish soul not willing to serve Him in obedience?

2 Timothy 2:21 “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, (diligent in our sanctification) he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, having been prepared for every good work.”

No limit on how God could use us

Redeeming Relevance

In our fallen condition, conformed to the world we cannot serve God.

We are worthless; Not useful apart from the redeeming work of God in our lives

Matthew 25:30 “And throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

We are dead in our sins and trespasses (Ephesians 2:1)

When we show that we want to be sanctified, He will sanctify us and make us useful for every good work.

He brings life into us according to His graces in Christ Jesus.

He will change us and conform us to the image of His Son; this is sanctification; Christ being formed in us.

Busy Bondservant

Laziness is a sure way to get fired in our world today

God wants servants who are busy doing His will, not slothful in their sanctification and sluggish in service.

You want to be sanctified? You want to be useful to God? You want to be enriched by the power of the Most High?

Resist the temptation of slothfulness/ Stop being lazy in your service to Him

Read your Bibles/ Bow your heads in prayer/ Tell the world what God has done for you in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Proverbs 13:4 “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, But the soul of the diligent is enriched.”