By Mother Doris Cassidy
What does it mean to serve God? God is awesome and deserves all honor and glory. Serving God can mean to direct our time, attention and talents toward Him. Serving is a form of worship and requires preparation.
SERVE GOD WITH A PERFECT HEART
1 CHRONICLES 28:9, And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth, all the imaginations of the thoughts;…
David was informing his son that he must worship God with a perfect heart and serve him with a willing mind because the Lord searches all hearts and understands our motives, desires and thoughts. Nothing can be hidden from God. God demands complete devotion. You need to be completely open and dedicated to God.
SERVE WITH FAITHFULNESS
HEBREW 11:6, But, without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is. And that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Faith is confident trust in God’s promises. Faith enables Christians to face trails. Genuine faith includes the commitment to stay true to God when we are under fire. We need to have faith as the three Hebrew boys. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego was thrown into the midst of the burning fiery furnace believing that God was able to deliver them. We must know that even in the fire God is with us.
MATTHEW 25:21, His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou been faithful over a few things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
F= FOUND A= ANSWERS I= IN T= THE H= HOLY GHOST
SERVE WITH OBEDIENCE
OBEY- To carry out orders and commands.
GENSIS 22:18, And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou had obeyed my voice.
1 Samuel 15:22, And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord: Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice . . .
1 HEBREW 13:17, Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit your selves for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.
True obedience to God and keeping His commandments bring forth blessings. Disobedience to God and not keeping His commandment bring forth curses.
In the word of God, it is written that obedience is better than sacrifice. As Christians, we must fear God, instead of being like Saul, who feared the people. To get over our fear of what people might say or do, we must take our eyes off of people and look only to God.
When we can learn to obey God, then we will have no problem doing as it says in Hebrews 13:17, Obey them that have rule over you. Be obedient to your Pastor and leaders of the church. When our leaders are in line with Word of God, WHAT’S WRONG WITH OBEYING THEM?
SERVE WHILE SUFFERING
When we suffer, we must know that God had not abandoned us. The book of Job shows a good man suffering for no apparent reason. Job lost his possessions, his children and his health. Job never placed his hope in his experience, his wisdom, his friends or his wealth. Job’s wife told him to curse God and die, but Job continued to trust in God. Job endured and God blessed him with more than he had before.
SERVE WHILE WAITING
Isaiah 40:31, But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles’ they shall walk, and not faint.
When you feel all of life is crushing you and you cannot go another step, remember that you can call upon God to renew your strength.
SERVE BY HELPING
ROMAN 12:11, Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.
We must not make excuses for our laying back and doing nothing in the body of Christ. We are many members but one body. There are several auxiliaries where you can serve God. Be faithful and serve with joy and a willing mind. Serve to honor God and let Him get the glory. Seek God’s approval and not man’s.