A. Our responsibility to provide:

1TI 5:8. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

B. Working for our needs:

ACT 20:35. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

EPH 4:28. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

1TH 4:11. And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

1TH 4:12. That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

2TH 3:10. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

2TH 3:11. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

2TH 3:12. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

TIT 3:14. And let our's also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.

GEN 41:39. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:

GEN 41:40. Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

GEN 41:41. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

GEN 41:42. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

GEN 41:43. And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

GEN 41:44. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

DAN 2:48. Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

DAN 2:49. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

DAN 6:1. It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

DAN 6:2. And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

DAN 6:3. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

DAN 8:27. And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

C. Even missionaries occasionally take on secular jobs:

ACT 18:1. After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

ACT 18:2. And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

ACT 18:3. And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

ACT 20:34. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

1CO 4:12. And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

D. God blesses diligent hard work:

GEN 31:38. This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.

GEN 31:39. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.

GEN 31:40. Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

GEN 39:1. And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

GEN 39:2. And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

GEN 39:3. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

GEN 39:4. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

GEN 39:5. And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

GEN 39:6. And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.

GEN 39:20. And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

GEN 39:21. But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

GEN 39:22. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.

GEN 39:23. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

PRO 10:4. He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

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

PRO 22:29. Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

PRO 21:25. The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

ECC 5:18. Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

PRO 28:19. He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

MAT 25:14. For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

MAT 25:15. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

MAT 25:16. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.

MAT 25:17. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

MAT 25:18. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

MAT 25:19. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

MAT 25:20. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

MAT 25:21. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

MAT 25:22. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

MAT 25:23. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

MAT 25:24. 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:

MAT 25:25. And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

MAT 25:26. 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:

MAT 25:27. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

MAT 25:28. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

MAT 25:29. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.