Labor Day Special-2023

When your eyesight is at stake, it pays to travel to one of the world's leading eye surgeons. Dr. Johnny Gayton is an author, speaker, Christian leader, and a renowned surgical eye expert, whether it's cataracts, PRK, Lasix, or implanted lenses.

When only the best is needed, see Dr. Johnny Gayton at eyesightassociates.com. This is the Truth Network. Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is set for one flaw.

Introducing first, from Lithuania, he weighs 123 kilos, the Russian nightmare, the Kita Kolob. Now, the devil's nightmare. Welcome back to another episode of It's Time to Man Up.

Today, well, this weekend is Labor Day holiday, Labor Day weekend, and I just felt prompted to do a special and fill you in on some knowledge on the history of Labor Day, because some of you may know, but many of you may not know the backstory on Labor Day. And I can't think of anyone better to do this with me than the Christian car guy, Robbie Dilmore. Robbie, welcome back first to the Man Up show. Oh, yes.

And personally, like how exciting to get to do. I can hardly wait for the Q&A with Kolob. This is him asking me these questions and studying. I know I'm going to learn something today.

I know that for sure. Because I did actually just kind of sprung this on you, like you didn't even know I was going to ask you to do this. A lot of times I tell you in advance, but I thought, I'll just spring it on him. You're so fluid and so good at this. I knew you would just roll with the punches, so to speak. Roll with the flow, right? But a couple of things before we dive into the history of Labor Day, why we even have a three-day weekend and it's a national holiday, tell our listeners out there who may not be familiar with the Christian car guy show and some of the other shows that you're a part of and how they could listen to your shows.

Oh, yeah. So I'm blessed to work full-time for The Truth at Work and it started out with a Christian car guy show, which it's kind of like a great testimony show from my standpoint of people calling in with car problems. We started out that way, but it's turned into a how has God solved your problem and then a lot of using car parts and that kind of thing to make biblical illustrations and fun stuff like that. And that led to the Jesus Labor Love, which is car repair labor for single moms, widows, and families in crisis, a ministry part of the Christian car guy show where we helped so many people over the years and heard so many amazing testimonies, what God does through that. And that led to The Kingdom Pursuits, which was the second live show I began on Saturday mornings almost 13 years ago, hard to believe.

And that show is like your show. We interview some amazing people and how God takes their passion and uses it to build the kingdom. We do Masculine Journey, as you know well, and we do these boot camps and so I get to be a big part of that. I also host Landon Rescue, which is an amazing show about this group of people that go around the world that God has tasked them with helping out in the sex trafficking.

But as well as extracting people from horrible places in like Afghanistan and stuff like that, and as well as going into the Ukraine and those kinds of things. And so that show is like an honor, like I can't even believe I get to do that. But I also host Finishing Well, and there's a few others I get a chance to be on quite often. Yeah, so you got a lot going on, and of course people can, Truth Radio Network and maybe the radio stations aren't necessarily in their area, but they can get the Truth app on their phone, listen to all the shows, right? Yours and many others, right?

Yeah, all those shows are part of the Truth Podcast Network as well, so on almost any podcast platform, all those are available like you and everybody else. If you go to ChristianCarguy.com, there's links to all my stuff there too. Yeah, it's pretty amazing how the Lord drew you out of, correct me if I'm wrong, 40 years of car sales, right?

And it kind of thrust you, if you will, almost not unlike maybe a thrust into a wrestling ring. You were kind of thrust into doing radio without zero experience, right? Oh, exactly, exactly, and I hadn't even put this together in my mind until you just said it, but I've been studying how important 40 is. You might remember Moses with three 40s, right?

He was 40 years old when he went to Midian, and then he was again at 80, he went on the 40 year deal. So I don't know if you knew this, but I think it's really, really cool, maybe if you're thinking about it if you're 40, but there was a reason it was 40 days and 40 nights that it rained for Noah, and Jesus went into the wilderness for 40 days, is that when something's created like a baby, right? From the point of fertilization to when the heart beats, guess how many days? 40, you guessed it. Wow. And then how many weeks before they're born?

It's typically 40 to full term, right? Right, right, and so you think about how God does that in the water, right? And then you think about how that played out in so many different ways that that 40 has everything to do with Labor Day in its own way. Wow, and that's what I love about you is all the insight, the knowledge and insight and wisdom that you have, and so somebody tuning into any one of your shows is going to be blessed by the time the show ends, and some of the stories and things that you bring. Oh, God, it's so amazing. Again, one of the best things I get to do, honestly, is to sit and help produce this show and listen to the amazing, amazing stories. Like, man, we just finished with Frank Shelton, and when do you get a chance to hear those shows?

They just blow me away how God uses this show and the guests that you get, and it's just amazing. Well, and I'm grateful and thankful for all your labor of love. Pun intended, I think.

Yes, it is. I always get confused. Do I say no pun intended or do I say nah, pun intended on that one, you know? Your labor of love. Bean, this is a Labor Day special, and I want to say one more thing before we move on. Of course, you are currently pastoring a church, and last summer, this past summer, you were a key speaker at the Man Up Conference in Fort Mill, South Carolina. And of course, I'm constantly, or from time to time, I'll say, hearing stories, and of course, you've even shared some stories on how what you said at that conference has impacted other men's lives, other people's lives. And so not only do you have some amazing shows on air, but you can stand up in front of a live audience and deliver a message that's impactful as well, and so I appreciate you. God does amazing stuff, man. You know, it's really fun to get those opportunities. Yep, and again, for sake of time, you've got such amazing, you're an overcomer, all the things, health challenges and other issues, overcoming cancer and many other things that you are a survivor of, and you are just, if you want to say a poster child of overcoming different challenges in life.

And so I encourage you, go listen, go get the Truth app if you don't have it, and listen to the Christian Carr guy, listen to Masculine Journey, Kingdom Pursuits, and these other shows that Robbie is involved in, and Robbie Dilmore. Well, Labor Day, it's Labor Day weekend. I know a lot of people look forward to Labor Day weekend basically because it's a three-day weekend for a lot of people. Not everybody, some people still have to labor over the weekend, right? And still work, but for some, it becomes maybe one of the leading into Thanksgiving, Christmas time, right? It becomes an important holiday for them, and I don't know how much of the history of Labor Day, Robbie, that you're aware that you know.

I'm fixed to be more aware, I can see that, yeah. Being a man of lots of knowledge yourself. So Labor Day, all right, let's just dive into this. Let's jump in and have some fun with this.

I think it'll be fun for you to listen to, I really do. Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contribution of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States. Now we know that we get listeners that listen to the show all over the world, right?

And so I'm going to touch on that as well, because this Labor Day not only impacts America, it impacts other nations. No, I didn't know that. Did you know that? I did not know that.

I did not know that. See? I'm already learning. I want to share something with you.

So the three-day weekend falls on, well, it's called Labor Day weekend. Hello, that's kind of an elementary thing. Okay. So first question, so any idea when all of this came into being?

Any idea when it was founded or became official or any of that at all? Well, I'm going to throw it out there, because here's my chance. 1875. 1875. Okay.

Now, and just out of curiosity, why would you pick that number? Because post-revolutionary war, what are you thinking? That, yeah, I mean, you mean after the Civil War, they retired, man. They needed... Civil War, excuse me.

I'm in the wrong century. Sorry. Civil War, Civil War. Okay. Gotcha.

Okay. So after the Civil War... The carpetbaggers and all those guys, you know, they needed a rest, man. They needed a break from all the labor, right?

All right. So beginning in the late 19th century, okay, so you're in the neighborhood, you're in the ballpark. Trade unions and labor movements began to grow, right? And trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor, right?

Now, you know, back in the 1800s or 19th century, you know, a lot of the labor, much of the labor was farms and farmers and fields and agriculture and all that sort of thing, right? But other industries... No, steel was a big deal. Right, began to, do you know who, one of the big names in steel?

I do. His, let me see, well, Andrew Carnegie. There you go. I was gonna give you the initials, A.C. Andrew Carnegie was one of the big steel producers back in the day and, of course, one of the wealthy of his time. And so other industries began to grow outside of agriculture, right? Labor Day was promoted by the Central Labor Union and what was called the Knights of Labor, which organized a parade. You know, they had a parade to celebrate this originally. Did you know that?

I did not know that. They had a parade in New York City to celebrate labor and people working, right? People working and which that actually goes way back, right? If we wanna put a little biblical overtone on this, labor and working goes way back to the fall of man, right? The way that goes before that, you know, because it says after six days, God finished all the work that he was going to work.

Ooh. Right? And then he rested. There was the first Labor Day was actually like the seventh day.

Day seven was the first official Labor Day. That's going on. Wow, Robbie, that's good. But then he gave instructions to Adam, right? What do you say to Adam? He says, you're gonna what? Don't eat.

Don't eat that stuff, man. But just after you fell, yeah, it's gonna be the sweat of your brow, buddy. Sweat of your brow. But even prior to the sweat of the brow in the fall, though, he goes, hey, I put you in the garden to work it, right?

To take care of it. Right. So labor goes all the way back to the first Adam, right?

Exactly. And then, but I didn't think about that first perspective of day seven being the first official Labor Day to celebrate. If we put it in modern terms, some might call that a Sabbath day. That's a Shabbat, yes.

A Shabbat, a Sabbath day. You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. Nikita Koloff here, and I am excited. Did you hear the huge announcement, the big announcement?

Well, maybe it's a minor announcement. Anyway, Facebook, go look up my new fan page, Nikita Koloff Fans, and like it and follow today. If you would like to support Koloff for Christ Ministries for a gift of $25, Nikita will send you his two CDs, Adoration and Declaration for a gift of $50.

Nikita will include his book, Wrestling with Success, and for a gift of $100 or more, Nikita will include a signed copy of his newly updated life story, A Tale of the Ring and Redemption. Go to www.koloff.net and donate today. Would your company, business, or you personally like to partner with me in supporting Koloff for Christ Ministries, the Man Up Show, and Man Up Minutes? Go to koloff.net and click the donate button.

You can give monthly, annually, or one time. God bless you for making a difference around the world. You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. Okay, so there's a parade in New York City. I've got to get all this in.

I've got to watch the time here. I want to get all this in because I know people are on the edge of their seat right now just wanting to know more about Labor Day, this special show. In 1887, Oregon, I should have asked this, all right, I let the cat out of the bag, was the first state of the United States to make an official public holiday. Oregon. Really? Yeah, well, in my research, that's what it is. They were on the right trail. They were on the right. For those who don't know your history, there's something called the Oregon Trail.

Trail, yes, hello, that's why he threw that in there for case you didn't know. So, yes, so they fished, and then by the time it became an official federal holiday in what year might you guess, Robbie? I mean, okay, so it's not, what did you say, 1875?

1875 must be 1892. Oh, man, you are so close. Okay, I'm going to give you three seconds for you to guess it out there in listening land.

Go ahead, one, two, three. Okay, you threw your answer out there. Actually, 1894, 1894 is when it became an official federal holiday, and 30 states officially celebrated Labor Day. 30 states at that point.

But I told you I was going to turn this or twist this into an international, what would I call it, perspective as well, okay? And so, did you know Canada has a Labor Day? Did you know that? I did not know that. Canada's Labor Day also celebrated on the first Monday of September. Really? Also celebrated, and more than 80 other countries celebrate it as well.

Now, it has a different name other than Labor Day internationally. Okay. That's a key right there and a clue. So you're going to ask me a question, all right. Well, that's a clue. I just gave you a clue to what it's called. Okay, there's another name, international.

International Labor Day? No, you're close. You're close. Okay. All right. Tick tock, tick tock for you listening out there. One, two, three.

Okay, did you make your guess? Here we go. International Workers Day.

Oh. International Workers Day. Now, the International Workers Day is not the first weekend in September, however.

It's a different part of the year, okay? So it is actually, and in Canada, so it's not September. It's actually May Day. May Day. May 1st.

Oh, really? May 1st? May 1st. Yep. European holiday of May Day. Okay.

The date of May 1st actually is an ancient European folk holiday. Were you aware of that, Ralph? I wasn't.

I wasn't. Yep. All right, all right. I got a question for you. Go ahead, go ahead. It's a Russian nightmare here. Okay.

I don't know when Russia celebrates their Labor Day, but go ahead. So here's some really interesting facts that I'm still just pondering in my mind. Okay. That the word work in Hebrew, right, has a root, and I will, you know, like, and I'm not going to ask you what it is, but I can tell you it's melaka, but anyway. Okay, melaka. Okay. In the word where it says that God worked, you know, and all that, right there in Genesis. Okay. The root of the word work is very much connected to Gabriel.

How? Gabriel the angel. Correct. So I got that part right. Gabriel the angel, because he was giving, he was giving tasks by the Lord.

Like, go down and speak this, and go down and do that, and go... So it was that part of his labor was... Yeah, interestingly. The root word of work... Okay.

Is malak, which is angel, which means messenger. Okay. And so you're exactly right.

That's interesting. We're given an opportunity to do, you know, to finish what God started, so to speak. So we get to labor with the Lord. Exactly. So as you surrender your life to Christ, become a Christ follower, right, because we can't earn our salvation, we can't work for our salvation. Ephesians 2, 8, 9 clearly shows that, right? Right. It's a gift, salvation's a gift, and by faith, right, by His grace and then faith, we receive salvation, right? Not that anyone should boast of their works, right? Now, once you give your life to Christ, though, then you do want to engage in the work of the Lord, right? And messenger is a pretty good thing to do.

And be a messenger is a pretty highly responsibility, a high responsibility, shall I just say. So, well, that's fascinating as well. So May Day emerged in 1886, so this all emerged around... Really? Yeah, around the same time, right, for this International Workers' Day. I guess it was an Industrial Revolution kind of, you know, right?

You might say pre-Industrial Revolution of sorts, in a sense, and so I'm gonna go ahead, because you'll probably never guess the Vice President of the American Federation of Labor, but the dude's name was P.G. Maguire, P.J., excuse me, P.J. Maguire, okay? Like Barry. Similar, similar, but he is frequently credited as the Father of Labor Day in the United States.

Really? P.J. Maguire, P.J.

Maguire. Maguire suggested the first Monday in September as an ideal date, think about this for a second, as an ideal date for such a public celebration owing to the optimum weather, well, okay, and the dates placed on the calendar. Why might you think he's looking at the calendar and thinking, okay, I gave you one, the weather, but what other reason do you think he might have thought, well, that'd be a good time to take a break and honor the laborers? It's kind of between the 4th of July and Halloween, maybe, I don't know. Well, you're close, you got the first part right, Halloween. And Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. So, sitting midway, actually midway, if you think about it, July, August, September.

Oh, yeah. September, October, November. So, sitting midway between those two major holidays, the 4th of July and Thanksgiving. And so, Labor Day picnics, parades, other public gatherings frequently featured speeches by prominent labor leaders. In 1909, the American Federation of Labor Convention designated the Sunday proceeding, did you know this? You're a pastor, so you probably knew this. No, I don't. For all you pastors out there. So, check this out, Robbie.

In 1909, they designated the Sunday proceeding Labor Day as Labor Sunday, as Labor Sunday, to be dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement. Wow. I'm going to put that on my calendar. Oh, no. The secondary date failed to gain significant traction in popular culture, although some churches continue to acknowledge it.

So, which is fascinating. 1894, moving on, 1894, Congress passed a bill recognizing the first Monday of September as Labor Day and making it an official federal holiday in 1894. Labor Day is called the unofficial, any idea?

The unofficial. No, I don't have an idea. End of summer.

No. The unofficial end of summer because it marks the end of the cultural summer season. Many take their two-week vacations during the two weeks ending Labor Day weekend. Many fall activities begin about this time as well. What kind of fall activities do you think, before we run out of time here, what kind of fall activities do you think? Football.

Ooh, yes. Football, but not just football, Robbie. So, it is the beginning of many fall sports, including typically the NCAA teams kind of kick in, playing their first games a lot of times that weekend. Of course, the NFL, traditionally, anyway, in the past. The following Thursday following Labor Day, okay, NASCAR, the Southern 500, typically has been held on Labor Day weekend in Darlington, South Carolina.

How about that? From 1950 to 2003. Well, let me just ask, since we're talking about that, let me tell you there's another major event in every car guy's life that happens about that time every year. In fact, when I was a kid, it was one of the biggest dates of the year.

Do you know what that is? Would it have been the Formula 500 or the Formula? No, new car announcement. Ooh. Back when I was a kid, I lived in Flint, Michigan, and they would literally have sheets over the car carriers so that nobody could see the new models until they came out on new car announcement day.

Wow, that's crazy. Well, so cars, the NHRA, US Nationals, the National Hot Rod Association, the US Tennis Open Championship in Flushing Meadows, all centers kind of around that. And then what about in fashion? Did you ever think that fashion would play a role in this, Robbie?

No. Well, I guess it's a change of seasons. It's time to break out the winter wear. Well, it's considered last day acceptable to wear white since I'm wearing white pants today. Oh, oh, oh, as a salesman, I knew that was when I couldn't wear my white shoes anymore and my white belt had to go, by the way.

And seersucker, which I'm not even, I don't even know what seersucker is. Anyway, but I got to get this in before, in the state of Minnesota. Of course. In the state of Minnesota, which is where I migrated to from Siberia, the state fair, which I went to many times as a kid, ends on Labor Day. And under state law, public schools normally don't even begin to tell after the holiday. And one reason given for the timing was to allow for the school children to show 4-H projects at the state fair. Is that not interesting?

Well, it is to me because I grew up there. It makes perfect sense. So, and then last but not least, last but not least, because we're almost out of time, to take advantage of large numbers of potential customers with time to shop, Labor Day has become an important weekend for discounts and allowances by many retailers in the U.S., especially back to school sales.

And some retailers claim it is one of the largest sale dates of the year, second only now to Christmas season's Black Friday. Who would have thunk it, Robbie, about all that history behind Labor Day? But think how important it is, right? That we were given this complete, unbelievable honor, just like all the radio shows that I went to. I mean, how cool is it that God gave us this world to do, right?

To be able to create, be able to work works, to creatively be a part of what he's doing in the world. I mean, it's an absolute amazing thing. Yes.

And for all of you out there who are celebrating Labor Day this weekend, can we just encourage you, as you're out there, in whatever it is you do, right, Robbie? Whatever it is they do. I mean, there's a variety, whether it's being a car salesman or a stay-at-home mom or... Bricklayer, you know, whatever it is. Radio host, everything.

Yeah. Anything and everything, right? Whatever you're doing out there. We want you to, on a serious note, we want you to enjoy this weekend. Hopefully you get some time off this weekend.

Maybe you'll have a picnic or a barbecue or something of that nature. But, you know, I just learned about that Sunday, the day before Labor Day, the importance of that Sunday back in the day, of it being a day for spiritual growth and for education. And so can we encourage you, like if you're not in church, to just attend church this Labor Day weekend, maybe for the first time in a long time, or maybe something that you do on a regular basis.

Some of the most fun labor I can think of is studying God's Word. Robbie, thank you for being a part of this special day. Always a blast. And thank all of you for tuning in. Happy Labor Day weekend to you. Go out and live a God-filled, God-blessed day today. This podcast is made possible by the grace of God and your faithful prayers, support and generous gifts. May God bless you for your continual contributions. Go to koloff.net and donate today.

Hi, Nikita Koloff. Be sure to check out The Man Up Show, now available on television, broadcast and podcast. Go to MorningStarTV.com or the Truth Radio Network. Check out your local listings or better yet, download the Truth Network app today. If you are enjoying The Man Up Show, would you help us spread the word? Tell your family, tell your friends, tell your neighbors to download, subscribe and leave a comment. Nikita Koloff here.

If you're needing to buy a car and have marginal credit and considering using buy here, pay here, that's worse than taking the Russian sickle. Winston-Salem motor cars will put you behind the wheel of a car you can rely on while helping rebuild, repair or establish your credit score. Conveniently located on Silas Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem. Be sure to check them out today at wsmc1.com because you are number one. Are you looking for the perfect gift for your pastor?

Well, look no further. Bless him with a trip to the Holy Land with yours truly, Nikita Koloff, the Russian nightmare. I'll be hosting this once in a lifetime trip, December 27, 2023 to January 5, 2024.

Your pastor will never be the same. Go to koloff.net to get registered today. This is the Truth Network.