23 ½ Hour Towing and The Rewards of Working Well – Purity 1871
Purity 1871 01/26/2026 Purity 1871 Audio Podcast
Purity 1871 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Today’s photo of a snow-spattered windshield view of a vine-covered utility pole and the snow-covered intersection of Brickyard Rd and State Route 9J, comes to us from yours truly as I dared to capture this snowy scene while driving back to my place down by the River during what has been named Winter Storm Benjamin, on Sunday.
Well, it’s Tuesday, and “Big Ben” was the reason that there wasn’t a blog or podcast yesterday. I still rose from bed at the normal time yesterday morning, but the snowstorm and the fact that I was finally returning to work and starting my new office position on Monday demanded that my regular physical and spiritual practices be postponed to clear the driveway and to get to my old/new work location in Menands. The reason why the mt4christ247 podcast is known for its “semi-daily”, and not daily, encouragements is because I got a life, people. Hello, anyone out there? Just kidding. While I do have a life, I think this is it. But seriously, while I have the zeal to do an encouraging message most days, I decided early on to a. honor the Sabbath and b. not make my podcast a new religion, and c. allow for my human weakness and whims, or the weather. While I try to follow the Lord 24/7/365, it doesn’t podcast about it every day, although I do have to admit that it’s a habit at this point and I have quite the compulsion each morning to “deliver the good news with M.T. Clark”. The podcast really is a labor of love, but just as we are not to let our love life become a burden, obligation, or chore, I made a decision early in the podcast’s existence to “give myself a break” on Sunday and for other times that demanded giving myself a rest.
As important as our labors of love, jobs, or ministries can be to us, they shouldn’t be something that can’t be put aside for more important personal matters like spending time resting, time with family & friends, practicing solitude, travel days, or emergencies at home.
Among others who helped me to understand not to let work or ministry consume you, my old mechanic had a policy that told the general public that there would be times when even their emergencies would not be a top priority in his life. My former mechanic owned a small local garage and towing company that was a mini pillar of the community in the Philmont and Mellenville area because people could trust him and his staff to tow them out of jams and repair their automobiles reliably and at a fair price. However, even though my old mechanic was trustworthy and true to meet his customers’ needs, he nonetheless advertised that his towing service was only available 23 ½ hours a day. When I asked him about this peculiarity, he advised me that he decided on that policy because even though he was not legally obligated to service everyone, all the time if he advertised 24 hour service, he explained that people didn’t understand that and instead of listening to complaints about the few times he or his staff couldn’t meet a towing need in the dead of night, he advertised 23 ½ hours so he could tell people that he was “closed” and look elsewhere when personal or professional circumstances prevented him from showing up.
And thus, the semi-daily encouragements that I promise to deliver on the podcast are both a promise and a warning. I’ll be here bringing Christian encouragement to anyone who will listen as often as I can, but there will be times that I won’t be here because the Lord calls me elsewhere. As much as I love to talk about God, this thing was never supposed to be an obligation or a frustration, and neither is our faith.
The ministry “work” of the podcast fills me with purpose and peace, and I do it for God’s glory even if I don’t do it perfectly 24/7. Speaking of work, today’s In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley devotion for today speaks about that topic, so I am sharing it on the blog to encourage us all to make today, and every day, “bring your faith” to work day. Dr. Charles Stanley writes:
The Rewards of Working Well
When we work in a way that honors the Lord, we may be surprised by the opportunities that appear.
Colossians 3:23-24
Every job has parts that are frustrating or moments that seem unfulfilling. And though the routine may not change, the good news is that our way of thinking can. We can decide to work as if the Lord is our boss—it’s a choice that makes all the difference. Today’s passage tells us, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men … It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
Treating our job like an extension of our service to the Lord changes our attitude. Pleasing Him will motivate us to do our best and inevitably result in a greater sense of contentment and gratitude (Colossians 3:17). Work may be challenging, frustrating, or boring, but we can be at peace regardless of our circumstances.
A servant heart can impact other employees as well. Service that is rendered with kindness, grace, and humility gets coworkers’ attention, which in turn opens up opportunities for ministry to the people with whom we spend hours each day.
Rewards for enthusiastic service on the job can take many forms—including greater personal satisfaction in our work and opportunities to reflect Christ to others. There is also the joy of knowing that our Father is pleased by our efforts.” – Charles Stanley
Amen. This one struck a chord with me because I returned to work yesterday, starting a new position in an office, and found myself overcome with joy when I realized that the Lord had directed my steps to where I was. As always, God was faithful and provided, even when I didn’t necessarily deserve it.
Even though the position is bound to have times that will frustrate or challenge me, I was filled with gratitude at the prospect of this new chapter in my career and intend to do my best work-wise and to represent God’s kingdom in whatever way I can.
Our faith gives such meaning to our lives, and our time on the job should reflect our kingdom purpose.
While we should definitely put our best foot forward, I don’t necessarily mean that we have to strive in our performance to show everyone we are a Christian by being the best.
Our zeal to represent the kingdom can turn into a “religion” real quick if we pressure ourselves to be the best in terms of performance. Don’t get me wrong, succeeding and excelling definitely gives the Lord glory, but I believe we can equally excel, if not be more successful in the Lord’s eyes, if we bring His peace and love to the workplace and seek to be ministers of compassion and reconciliation.
While our work performance can highlight our integrity, excellence, and self-control, being a compassionate agent of God’s grace to the people we encounter can reflect the heart of what it means to be a Christian and highlight our patience, goodness, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness, and love.
So, let’s get to work and get ‘er done, but let’s also shine a light to reveal that Jesus really is God with us.
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/.
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
(While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling By John G. Kruis on Amazon )
This morning’s meditation verse comes from the section on Progressive Sanctification – Growing in Faith & Godliness.
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
Today’s verse falls under the sixth point of our counseling reference guide resource section on Progressive Sanctification – Growing in Faith & Godliness.
6. The Word of God is immeasurably effective.
Today’s Bible verse tells us of the effectiveness of God’s word to get to the heart of the matter and to read us as we are reading it.
The word is so sharp a sword that it cuts between our souls and spirits and exposes the innermost thoughts and desires of our hearts. The word of God was given so we could know God, but when we get to know Him, we realize that He is holy and that what He says is THE STANDARD, the law, of how we should live. When we read God’s word the Holy Spirit can use it to convict our hearts and to open our eyes to all the wrong things we think and do. Through the word, the Holy Spirit shows us what is soulish and what is spiritual and presses us to repent. God, through the Living Word, can see if our hearts desire the things of this world more than we desire Hi,m and He can use scripture to show us the truth and to draw us closer to Him.
So don’t resist what the Bible is telling you, the way the Lord may use it can be cutting, but He can also use it to heal and to make us into the people He made us to be.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com, where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Toda,y we continue sharing from “Pause for Power” By Warren Wiersbe.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Wiersbe’s books for your own private study and to support the late author’s work. This resource is available online for less than $20 at many sites.
Day 5 – Sovereignty and Responsibility -Read Romans 9:14–33
Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” – Romans 9:14–15
Moses was a Jew; Pharaoh was a Gentile, yet both were sinners. In fact, both were murderers! Both saw God’s wonders. Yet Moses was saved and Pharaoh was lost. Pharaoh was a ruler, and Moses was a slave, yet it was Moses who experienced the mercy and compassion of God—because God willed it that way. Nobody can condemn God for the way He extends His mercy, because God is righteous in His judgments (see Ps. 19:9 kjv).
Paul wrote of divine sovereignty and then human responsibility. Here is a paradox: The Jews sought for righteousness but did not find it, while the Gentiles, who were not searching for it, found it! The reason? Israel tried to be saved by works and not by faith. They rejected “grace righteousness” and tried to please God with “law righteousness.” The Jews thought that the Gentiles had to come up to Israel’s level to be saved, when actually the Jews had to go down to the level of the Gentiles to be saved.
Something to Ponder: When you can’t fully understand God’s working, what do you do to maintain your faith?[1]
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[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures, 2nd Ed., Year in the Word Series (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2010).
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