Psalms 100:1-2
1 Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
2 Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Recently I found myself exhorted to serve more in the body of Christ with the motive of thanksgiving and gladness, not out of a sense of guilt or pastoral pressure. My mind scanned through old Bible memory verses and I suddenly stumbled upon this verse in Psalms 100, a verse that is the foundation of Pastor Carl’s challenges for we the body to step up and serve with gladness.
I love the idea of serving the Lord not out of compulsion or force. God isn’t the commander that has enforced the draft! He’s not the angry employer that is demanding we do the dirty job that is normally relegated to the new hires. He isn’t giving us a stern command but rather a loving invitation to come and join Him in the work He is doing on the earth in the hearts of men and women.
When we pray, “Your kingdom come” we know we aren’t talking about a kingdom that is contained within political or geographical borders, but the kingdom of God is His rule and reign in the hearts of His people. When we desire to see that kingdom forcefully advance, there must be those who are willing to lay down their lives for the sake of the gospel.
Service is not just a command, it is a joy. It gives us spiritual zeal (Romans 12:11) and is a test of our stewardship (Matthew 25:23). And the psalmist implores you and I to check our motives at the door of the church. Are we serving the Lord with gladness? Are we motivated by guilt, or by competition, or by envy, or by a genuine desire to see His kingdom come?
I remember over 8 years ago, hearing an announcement from the pulpit for a week of prayer for the direction of the youth ministry. I remember coming to pray, and feeling a deep sense of God’s call and an obvious need. I didn’t have training, I certainly wasn’t experienced, and I was pretty intimidated. But as I poured out my life serving the Lord and ministering to HIM, I found a joy and a place in ministering to His young flock.
Has the wind left your sails? Are you like David, discouraged and overwhelmed in the battle? Maybe it’s time to encourage yourself in the Lord, to remind yourself to make a joyful shout the Lord, and to serve Him with gladness. Maybe you aren’t yet finding a place to fit in. Maybe you are that puzzle piece that hasn’t found its place yet. Seek the Lord, find a need, and then serve the Lord with His strength and His resources, giving Him the glory, and amazingly, He’ll reward you for it!
Pilgrim
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
23 comments:
I loved this article in the Calvary Chapel Messenger for Feb 2007. I appreciate this message. So many christians exhibit a total lack of JOY in their daily service to the Lord. You have certainly shown us why that is. If you are not serving joyfully, are you really serving the Lord at all? Thank you.
Well written article.
I wish not agree on it. I assume nice post. Especially the title-deed attracted me to read the whole story.
Nice fill someone in on and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Thank you as your information.
Hello
Why should you pay ebay when you can sell your new and used products FREE on http://www.BuySellDirect.net
http://www.BuySellDirect.net is the future of E-commerce to buy direct from the manufacturer and sell direct to consumers FREE. Their service is rock solid and most important 100% FREE
The Lyford Cay Sect serves as a community resource as far as something intercontinental and Bahamian families. Lyford Cay College offers a enormous par Nursery through Treble Inculcate education. By a multi-cultural territory that promotes understanding amongst mixed nationalities, students are provided with the opportunities and resources to develop cross-cultural learners and guilty citizens. Lyford Cay Followers is an competent, non-denominational, day school. The school is a non-profit-making thing governed before a Meals of Directors.
http://vukozocetu.wordpress.com/
http://iwulupom.wordpress.com/
http://acixohotyp.wordpress.com
http://syzefudyv.wordpress.com
this is very good for you, ybg :)
Great writing! Maybe you could do a follow up to this topic!!
Tristan
order ambien without prescriptions ambien 40 - ambien cr 12.5 mg best price
buy diazepam 2mg of diazepam and alcohol - diazepam valium 5mg
zolpidem tartarate zolpidem cost at walmart - ambien side effects paranoia
order zolpidem is zolpidem tartrate the same as ambien - zolpidem tartrate lorazepam
buy xanax cheap xanax no rx - xanax side effects tongue
order ativan ativan job interview - cost of lorazepam 1mg
xanax no prescription online buy xanax online 2mg - make xanax effects stronger
buy ambien online generic ambien reviews - ambien pills do they look like
buy somas online side effects of carisoprodol 350 mg - carisoprodol rxlist
zolpidem drug ambien drug schedule - cost of ambien cr
buy valium online valium effects libido - buy valium online from thailand
buy carisoprodol drug class for soma - there generic soma
order soma generic blue top somatropin - carisoprodol 350 mg side effects
Catherine Deneuve will host the event opening on the beginning of Paris Fashion Week-uniting French icons in a fresh way. cheap north face jackets Joan take-no-prisoners commentary will close each episode as she runs down the final and the worst of the week but don despair Hollywood because there always the opportunity on Police to escape further sentencing and get out on parole with a hot new look.. north face Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. uggs Although you may want to add a load of glitz,rememberthat you can also kill a look with too much accessories. http://www.softuggboots.com Most goods look and operate as if they were 'new'.
(Pac-12 says it working on that, and in the meantime live streams are available to Comcast customers by logging into its Xfinity TV website.). ugg boots outlet She mixes craftsmanship- using old and forgotten techniques- with innovation and materials inspired on the world to come.. ghds This not only gives our readers/viewers a rather credible point of view from the consumers perspective but it would also allow for constructive feedback to be given by our readers/viewers so that you can improve your product and service offerings.. http://www.verynorthface.com One can You can try out check out try any of some of the As the gives the person man the facility the facility to the person man of discount reduction if he was a chain smoker then he definitely undoubtedly required needed these electronic cigarette ecigarette e-cigarette coupons these electronic cigarette coupons were definitely required by him . ghd mk4 black He has also created witty and incisive illustrations for the top fashion magazines and journals from around the world, among them The New Yorker, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Town Country, Paper, Visionaire, Interview and The New York Times.
Post a Comment