WHO IS SERVING WHOM?

Date: Thu Jul 22 14:49:52 2010

Did you ever wonder who is serving whom? I hear a lot of people who appear, at least on the surface, to operate as though God were here for OUR pleasure!

We expect every need to be met on OUR schedule.

We expect that God will be pleased with the type of worship that pleases US.

We believe that the omnipotent God runs around ragged like our slave catering to OUR every whim and desire!

We come up with e new interpretation for every scripture that does not agree with OUR desires and preferences.

Is it just me, or do YOU see this happening all around us?

Now to be sure, Jesus came to serve- but it was to show US how to serve others!

Paul proclaimed to the Corinthians - "We preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves your servants for ourselves Jesus sake." Paul lambasted those who had imperial attitudes, those who profited inordinately off the people they were serving, and those who were not serving the interests of the Lord.

You don't have to read far in the New Testament to see that Jesus himself served his Father. He did NOTHING he did not see his father doing. Jesus expected his followers to follow HIS instructions and do things HIS way in HIS time.

AFTER ALL, we exist for God's pleasure - He does not exist for ours!

We must not direct him. He directs us.

Look at what Jesus said to those who tried to direct him in the New Testament!

SO HOW CAN WE SERVE GOD BETTER?

1) Focus on God's agenda - to preach the gospel everywhere, disciple the nations, and help each man and woman to have their character conformed to that of Jesus Christ.

2) Prayer much more for others than for ourselves - have a broad tent of intercession.

3) Worship in the Holy Spirit - whether through the gift of tongues or your native tongue, engage in Spirit-led worship, concentrating on God and not on gratifying the flesh.

4) Aim to serve God 24/7. Do not take time-outs from God to pursue carnal pursuits. Maintain a pure thought-life. Desire earnestly the good for others and serve them to facilitate that coming about.

5) Encourage each other in these evil days, helping the weak to stand and those without to be provided for.

6) Follow the Word of God wherever it leads you and NEVER explain away the parts that challenge you or which cross your ideas. It is GOD's word that matters, not ours!

7) Let our lives speak of the goodness of God, and never apologize for being a Christian or for boldly obeying the voice of God!