2. 98% OF INSPIRATION IS PERSPIRATION

5. “lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth [wisdom; well-being]; he who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is…disgraceful…” (Proverbs 10:4-5).

6. “Genius is 2% inspiration and 98% perspiration… [And so] opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Edison

7. “After flourishing for three centuries…the … [work] ethic [has begun] to disintegrate, with key elements slowly disappearing from modern American society, vanishing from schools, from business, from popular culture, and leaving us with [a] …system unmoored from the restraints of civic virtue.” – Steven Malanga.

8. “…whatever [we] do, [we are to] work at it with all [our] heart -- as [if, we are] working for the Lord…” (Colossians 3:23).

9. Allow God To Work Through Your Work, Creating Something Good And Beautiful!

10. “And God saw that it was good!” (e.g. Genesis 1:10;12;18;21;25). In fact after completing all his work, God said: “…it was very good…” (Genesis 1:31).

12. Celebrate The Margin And Peace That Comes From Godly Work

13. “He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment…’ (Proverbs 12:11) finding it difficult to navigate ‘bad days.’

14. “Take a lesson from the ants…learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no…ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep; when will you wake up? [For if you don’t] then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.” (Proverbs 6:6-11, New Living Bible).

15. “Lord Jesus” Tozer prayed: “I come…for spiritual preparation...Let me not waste my days puttering around the house…Deliver me from overeating and late sleeping. Teach me self- discipline that I may be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. I accept hard work…I ask for no easy place…And now, O Lord…I consecrate my remaining days to Thee…Fill me with Thy power…and I will go in Thy strength and tell of Thy righteousness…” – A.W. Tozer

16. Give The Heavy-Lifting, The Ultimate Work To God.

17. “Be strong and courageous, and do the work…” (1 Chronicles 28:20). But not in your own strength; no, be strong and courageous in the Lord -- for “….the Lord God, my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work…is finished…” (1 Chronicles 28:20).

19. God’s work is alive and well and operating in the present tense -- empowering us to do our work in the present tense -- with persistence, effort and great productivity!

20. “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring [wisdom and well-being]…” (Proverbs 10:4-5). And so strive for diligent hands, calloused hands, weathered hands -- grasping the hand of God -- who will not forsake us -- until all the work is finished – for His honor, praise and glory!