servitude.
Many of us serve in church, one way or another right? Some in music, some in floral arrangements, dance, P.A or projectionist. What have we been doing with that? It might not be a gift or talent, or even an anointing. You don't need that to just play the guitar, put plants in the right direction, move along to music or to click buttons. You can learn that on your own time, own target.
The gift to God is in the heart of how you do it. You can pass by playing your musical instrument well, making the flowers look pretty, groove well, and click the slides in time. BUT! You do not offer God a gift when you do it out of necessity or because you're scheduled. It is in the heart of worship, no matter what you do, or what your responsibility is. And then there are yet others of us, myself as well, behave as if serving is a way of earning your salvation. Serving is also not repayment to God in anyway, for the simple fact that you are unable and will never be able to pay God back for what He did for you.
He died on the Cross for you. Who are you to think that by doing some little deed like hitting things with sticks or tying stems and leaves together or any other thing for that matter, you are able to pay Him back for what He did? If you work in a company, on the first day of work, you don't work for 3 hours, tell the boss you've been working hard and ask him to get you lunch, do you? Do you really think that the boss will thank you, let alone reward you for what he has PAID you to do?
In 1 Peter 4:10, it says, "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." As what? As stewards. Another word for steward is servant.
And what is it about servants of God? Let's look at Luke 17:7-10
"But which of you, having a servant who is ploughing or keeping sheep, will say to him, when he comes in from the field, "Come now and be seated and have a meal." Will he not say, "Get a meal for me, and make yourself ready and see to my needs till I have had my food and drink; and after that you may have yours?" Does he give praise to the servant because he did what was ordered? In the same way, when you have done all the things which are given you to do, say, "We are unworthy servants, for we have only done what we were ordered to do."
Likewise, as an employee of the company, you don't tell the employer what to do. God is the ultimate boss. As an employee of His company, you can't tell Him what to do. You're supposed to obey Him. When (not if, because we're supposed to) we obey Him, we don't sit around waiting for praises from Him or an applause because it's our duty.
What are the three attitudes we all have regarding serving?
1) The serve during free-time attitude.
Do servants have that luxury? Do they serve after watching TV, a nap or when they feel like it? No! They don't. They have to serve and be on call all the time for the Master. It's like having to call a doctor after his working hours and getting an answering message to say, "Hi, I'm not here right now, if it's truly an emergency, call 995." We have to be wholly devoted to Christ.
2) I will serve, but I want overtime pay attitude.
You serve and do whatever's required, but your heart is not really in it. You think in your head, "Hey God, I hope You notice and see this right now. I'm here to serve!" You do it without being happy, you do it miserable, because you're working overtime and you expect to see some ammends for your effort in your paycheck.
3) This is not in my job description attitude.
You will serve in certain ways, you will give your life away in certain categories. But if it comes to the point when you're supposed to do something that's outside of that job, you pull out your contract and say, "You don't do it because when you signed up with that ministry, you're not supposed to do another."
Do you see yourself as anyone of the above? I've got them all. As stewards (or servants) of God, we are called to serve Him with a heart of worship. The gift is in the heart, not in the deed. As servants of Christ, we have to serve the Master with total devotion; with no boundaries and no strings attached, no stipulations. How have you been serving, how are you serving, and how would you like to serve? When do you think it's time to make this change? Tomorrow? Next week? God wants us to serve Him willingly and with a heart only for Him. I know I have to start. Now.
Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many."
If our Master laid down His life, how can we do less than spending ourselves in service of this King we are servants to? It is the highest priviledge for us.
The gift to God is in the heart of how you do it. You can pass by playing your musical instrument well, making the flowers look pretty, groove well, and click the slides in time. BUT! You do not offer God a gift when you do it out of necessity or because you're scheduled. It is in the heart of worship, no matter what you do, or what your responsibility is. And then there are yet others of us, myself as well, behave as if serving is a way of earning your salvation. Serving is also not repayment to God in anyway, for the simple fact that you are unable and will never be able to pay God back for what He did for you.
He died on the Cross for you. Who are you to think that by doing some little deed like hitting things with sticks or tying stems and leaves together or any other thing for that matter, you are able to pay Him back for what He did? If you work in a company, on the first day of work, you don't work for 3 hours, tell the boss you've been working hard and ask him to get you lunch, do you? Do you really think that the boss will thank you, let alone reward you for what he has PAID you to do?
In 1 Peter 4:10, it says, "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." As what? As stewards. Another word for steward is servant.
And what is it about servants of God? Let's look at Luke 17:7-10
"But which of you, having a servant who is ploughing or keeping sheep, will say to him, when he comes in from the field, "Come now and be seated and have a meal." Will he not say, "Get a meal for me, and make yourself ready and see to my needs till I have had my food and drink; and after that you may have yours?" Does he give praise to the servant because he did what was ordered? In the same way, when you have done all the things which are given you to do, say, "We are unworthy servants, for we have only done what we were ordered to do."
Likewise, as an employee of the company, you don't tell the employer what to do. God is the ultimate boss. As an employee of His company, you can't tell Him what to do. You're supposed to obey Him. When (not if, because we're supposed to) we obey Him, we don't sit around waiting for praises from Him or an applause because it's our duty.
What are the three attitudes we all have regarding serving?
1) The serve during free-time attitude.
Do servants have that luxury? Do they serve after watching TV, a nap or when they feel like it? No! They don't. They have to serve and be on call all the time for the Master. It's like having to call a doctor after his working hours and getting an answering message to say, "Hi, I'm not here right now, if it's truly an emergency, call 995." We have to be wholly devoted to Christ.
2) I will serve, but I want overtime pay attitude.
You serve and do whatever's required, but your heart is not really in it. You think in your head, "Hey God, I hope You notice and see this right now. I'm here to serve!" You do it without being happy, you do it miserable, because you're working overtime and you expect to see some ammends for your effort in your paycheck.
3) This is not in my job description attitude.
You will serve in certain ways, you will give your life away in certain categories. But if it comes to the point when you're supposed to do something that's outside of that job, you pull out your contract and say, "You don't do it because when you signed up with that ministry, you're not supposed to do another."
Do you see yourself as anyone of the above? I've got them all. As stewards (or servants) of God, we are called to serve Him with a heart of worship. The gift is in the heart, not in the deed. As servants of Christ, we have to serve the Master with total devotion; with no boundaries and no strings attached, no stipulations. How have you been serving, how are you serving, and how would you like to serve? When do you think it's time to make this change? Tomorrow? Next week? God wants us to serve Him willingly and with a heart only for Him. I know I have to start. Now.
Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many."
If our Master laid down His life, how can we do less than spending ourselves in service of this King we are servants to? It is the highest priviledge for us.
posted by Jeddy! | 10:37 PM
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