Bible Matters 426: Serving God

When you put your trust in God, you can’t serve God and money.  You are told that it is one or the other.  God has given you talents that he is looking for you to use to serve him.  The problem with man is that one likes to compare what one is doing and judging it against others.  All to justify a menial service to God.  The common misconception is that you go to church on Sunday and your service to the Lord is done for the week.  You judge this service as acceptable because that is what all the other church goers are doing!  Not long after Jesus rose from the dead and witnessed to his disciples and left, Peter told the followers that he was going fishing and asked if anyone wanted to come along! 

John 21:3 – Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

Jesus arrived at the fishing spot in the morning after a night of catching nothing and he instructed the disciple to fish on the right side of the boat and they caught many fish.  After dinner, Peter was comparing his service to the service of the one that Jesus loved.  Jesus gave Peter a simple instruction, “Don’t you worry about him, but follow thou me.” 

John 21:14-17,19-22 – This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.  So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.  He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.  This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?  Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do ?  Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

As seen from the above, the issue with serving God is two-fold.  

1.       Heart is not into it.

2.      Man judges.

Children, you have been deceived.  Your heart has been hardened with the love of self and the love of many has been waxed cold!   Let not the hardness of your hearts reject the truth in God’s word.   May your heart learn to love the things of God and by your actions may God’s gospel of love be preached in all the world.

Matthew 24:11-14 – And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

The heart of the people is waxed gross, ears are dull of hearing and their eyes are closed.  God is looking for you to see with your eyes, hear with your ears and understand with the heart, to be converted as a child of God and be healed.

Acts 28:27 – For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

The Heart:

When it comes to loving and serving God, all that matters is your heart.  If Peter loved God from the heart, then not long after seeing Jesus in the risen form from the dead, he wouldn’t have told his fellow disciples, ”I go a fishing.”   Three times, Jesus told Peter to follow thou me.  Standing face to face to Jesus, Peter says, “What shall this man do.”  Peter didn’t write a gospel, but he wrote a very comprehensive epistle.  Peter needed that final visit from Jesus, before Jesus ascended into heaven.  When you obey the truth and your heart is converted from a lover of self to a lover of other then you understand God’s word. 

1 Peter 1:22-23 – Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Your goal is to seek to sanctify the Lord God in your heart.  Your positive hope and love for another will destroy man’s opinion of you.  They will not understand why you have such a positive attitude.  Of course, that hope in you is in the Lord God.  Always be willing to give God the credit. 

1 Peter 3:15 – But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

That man that Jesus loved got the same message.  You are to love one another in deed and in truth.  Not just in lip service.

1 John 3:18-23 – My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. [19] And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

Peter recognized that you cannot have a converted heart, with eyes full of sin by serving two masters.  Adultery in the following verse can be anything that takes you away from serving God. 

2 Peter 2:14 – Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

Luke 21:34 – And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

2 Timothy 2:21-22 – If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.  Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Draw nigh to God and purify your heart, to be one with a singular purpose and that is to serve God.

James 4:8 – Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Hebrews 10:22 – Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Luke 12:34 – For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

James cautions you for not knowing the truth.  The Sunday go to church crowd often misses the truth in God’s word. 

James 1:26 – If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

But when God’s will is put in your heart, you will know it!  You have no fear in spreading the truth in God’s word.  You will speak on the matters of the heart, unto good works. 

Revelation 17:17 – For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

Luke 6:45 –  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

2 Thessalonians 2:17 – Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

Proverbs 4:4 – He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

The Judge:

Jesus was clear when he told Peter not to judge anyone.

John 21:21,22 – Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do ?  Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

The minute you judge, you minimize your work for the Lord.  Ever person you come across has been put there by God.  That person may be one witness away from following and doing the will of God.  They may have been turned off by lucre loving churches and just desire the truth in God’s word.  That truth and this ministry coming out of you, may lead that person to do the will of God.  You see, when you judge, you deny the Father.

Matthew 7:1-2 – Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Luke 6:37 – Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

John 7:24 – Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Jesus judged no man. 

John 8:15 – Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

His most faithful servant was Mary Magdalene, out of who Jesus cast out seven devils.  That person you judge by denying this ministry may be God’s next Mary Magdalene.

Mark 16:9 – Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

When you judge, you put a stumbling block in the way of the lost. 

Romans 14:13 – Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

Remember, there is only one that judges and that is the Lord God.

 1 Corinthians 4:4 – For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

Starting today, judge no one and be a doer of God’s word by loving God and loving your neighbor. 

James 4:10-11 – Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.  Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Luke 10:27 – And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

Out of a pure heart and by judging no one, God is looking for you to fulfill his commandment.

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.