Great news! This is where you can find a way to serve others and be part of God's kingdom at the same time! Okay, this may not be exactly what you're looking for, but I'm at least going to tell you what to expect. You will get rejected. You will be made fun of and you will be laughed at a lot. I get that is not the best way to figure out what to do for Christ. Or how to become the hands and feet of Christ. Remember though, you can't find anything if you aren't looking. I realize that it's hard to serve those who aren't willing to accept it or those who are looking for handouts. Understand that even Christ Himself asks us to work.
23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men (ESV)
Give yourself fully when serving Christ. I've always wanted to know what went through the Pharisees and Sagisees minds when Christ would correct them. I know from reading the Bible that they disliked getting the opposite reaction of what they were expecting from Jesus. I'm sure it was utterly frustrating!
As soon as I feel that I'm unheard, I feel frustration and sometimes a little anger. I believe everyone feels that way. I've become very uptight about what I believe. Okay maybe not uptight, but at least concerned that someone else might step on my toes. I'm sure that's how the Pharisees and Sagisees felt. Unheard. So how do you do things without being heard? Do you continue in your quest of service even if it goes unheard or unnoticed? Or do you stop and tell people that you're working for the Lord? In Colossians, Paul was telling a group of believers that he'd never met, more than likely, how the Lord wants them to run a household. And you will receive more in heaven from the Lord than you ever would here on earth. How awesome is that? If you can imagine the best stuff here on earth, what is it like in heaven?
1 Peter 4:10-11
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.(ESV)
Do you speak the Word of God in a way that blesses others? Do others see the grace of God dwelling in you as you serve them? Examine yourself deeply. This is very tough! I know this because I, too, struggle with not only knowing what to do, but how to show the true grace of God. It's given to me for free! I did nothing to get it. I didn't have to earn it! However, God does expect me to obey His will everyday and carry it out.
Luke 12:35-48
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Jesus was telling the parable of the rich fool. The rich fool had too much grain and not enough storage. So he made bigger barns and when the Lord asked him why he did that, He also told him that his grain isn't for God. He's got it out of selfish gain and his life is demanded from him by others. Christ was telling the disciples and the others crowded around Him not to worry. God will give you the time about tomorrow when tomorrow gets here. Peter didn't know what Christ was talking about and asking who He was talking to about the parable. Peter did question Christ a lot, but not in a bad way. Questions are a good thing. Don't ever let anyone tell you that there's a such thing as a dumb question. If it goes unasked, you'll never know what the answer is and your knowledge goes without.
Jesus was telling everyone who was listening to be prepared! Be prepared to serve the Ultimate Master. Always be dressed and ready to answer the door. I know that if Christ came within the hour, I wouldn't know what to say to Him. I'm being absolutely honest. And as I've said throughout this experience, this is a learning process for me, not just for you. Hopefully you are learning more about what God wants from you through the experiences I'm telling you about here. If there's one thing I'd like to go to my grave with, it's that I've helped at least one person on this big blue rock!! So where do you serve? How do you serve? Does it matter where you serve or how you serve? Well, is your heart in the right place? If there's one piece of advice that I hope you get from me here, it's to not be afraid to ask people questions. Ask the elders, deacons, ministers, administrative assistants, and whoever else you can think of for opportunities within the Church body and even on the outside of the Church body. Can you reach out to people who are homeless? Or even reach out to the rich?
I understand that in today's busy world of smart phones, YouTube, and Skype, it's hard to get out of the house. I will admit to owning a smart phone and I do watch YouTube. But I'm always happy to help those in need, even if it's outside my comfort zone. I learned early that whining slows me down. My grandmother never heard the phrase "I'm bored" more than once. If she heard it, she'd immediately find something for me or someone else to do, like the dishes or helping her set the table for dinner. I'm also curious to know what you would say about your time. Are you a single parent? Does your job require long hours? That's okay. You can still serve God while you're a single parent or working those long hours. Even if you plant the seed in someone, that can be considered serving God. As long as you keep being the example you need to be to those around you, most of the time someone is willing to ask you questions.
What part of service do I not understand? How can I change that?
Can I do more than just volunteer?
Do I budget my time well? Why or why not?
How much do I need to put in?
Is my attitude appropriate while serving others?
Am I just standing around while I have opportunities all around me? If so, why?
Do I keep a constant prayer life with God in order to know where He wants me to serve?
Am I keeping my eyes and ears open for what God needs me to do in order to serve Him?
Colossians 3:23
Give yourself fully when serving Christ. I've always wanted to know what went through the Pharisees and Sagisees minds when Christ would correct them. I know from reading the Bible that they disliked getting the opposite reaction of what they were expecting from Jesus. I'm sure it was utterly frustrating!
As soon as I feel that I'm unheard, I feel frustration and sometimes a little anger. I believe everyone feels that way. I've become very uptight about what I believe. Okay maybe not uptight, but at least concerned that someone else might step on my toes. I'm sure that's how the Pharisees and Sagisees felt. Unheard. So how do you do things without being heard? Do you continue in your quest of service even if it goes unheard or unnoticed? Or do you stop and tell people that you're working for the Lord? In Colossians, Paul was telling a group of believers that he'd never met, more than likely, how the Lord wants them to run a household. And you will receive more in heaven from the Lord than you ever would here on earth. How awesome is that? If you can imagine the best stuff here on earth, what is it like in heaven?
1 Peter 4:10-11
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.(ESV)
Do you speak the Word of God in a way that blesses others? Do others see the grace of God dwelling in you as you serve them? Examine yourself deeply. This is very tough! I know this because I, too, struggle with not only knowing what to do, but how to show the true grace of God. It's given to me for free! I did nothing to get it. I didn't have to earn it! However, God does expect me to obey His will everyday and carry it out.
Luke 12:35-48
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 45 But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. 46 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.
47 “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48 But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Jesus was telling the parable of the rich fool. The rich fool had too much grain and not enough storage. So he made bigger barns and when the Lord asked him why he did that, He also told him that his grain isn't for God. He's got it out of selfish gain and his life is demanded from him by others. Christ was telling the disciples and the others crowded around Him not to worry. God will give you the time about tomorrow when tomorrow gets here. Peter didn't know what Christ was talking about and asking who He was talking to about the parable. Peter did question Christ a lot, but not in a bad way. Questions are a good thing. Don't ever let anyone tell you that there's a such thing as a dumb question. If it goes unasked, you'll never know what the answer is and your knowledge goes without.
Jesus was telling everyone who was listening to be prepared! Be prepared to serve the Ultimate Master. Always be dressed and ready to answer the door. I know that if Christ came within the hour, I wouldn't know what to say to Him. I'm being absolutely honest. And as I've said throughout this experience, this is a learning process for me, not just for you. Hopefully you are learning more about what God wants from you through the experiences I'm telling you about here. If there's one thing I'd like to go to my grave with, it's that I've helped at least one person on this big blue rock!! So where do you serve? How do you serve? Does it matter where you serve or how you serve? Well, is your heart in the right place? If there's one piece of advice that I hope you get from me here, it's to not be afraid to ask people questions. Ask the elders, deacons, ministers, administrative assistants, and whoever else you can think of for opportunities within the Church body and even on the outside of the Church body. Can you reach out to people who are homeless? Or even reach out to the rich?
I understand that in today's busy world of smart phones, YouTube, and Skype, it's hard to get out of the house. I will admit to owning a smart phone and I do watch YouTube. But I'm always happy to help those in need, even if it's outside my comfort zone. I learned early that whining slows me down. My grandmother never heard the phrase "I'm bored" more than once. If she heard it, she'd immediately find something for me or someone else to do, like the dishes or helping her set the table for dinner. I'm also curious to know what you would say about your time. Are you a single parent? Does your job require long hours? That's okay. You can still serve God while you're a single parent or working those long hours. Even if you plant the seed in someone, that can be considered serving God. As long as you keep being the example you need to be to those around you, most of the time someone is willing to ask you questions.
What part of service do I not understand? How can I change that?
Can I do more than just volunteer?
Do I budget my time well? Why or why not?
How much do I need to put in?
Is my attitude appropriate while serving others?
Am I just standing around while I have opportunities all around me? If so, why?
Do I keep a constant prayer life with God in order to know where He wants me to serve?
Am I keeping my eyes and ears open for what God needs me to do in order to serve Him?
Comments
Post a Comment