Who Are You Serving?
"Then Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men [we have no other choice]." ( Acts 5:29, AMP)Without a shadow of doubt, we can say that we are all serving someone or something. And no one can have it both ways - it's either one or the other. Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord]. ' Matthew 6:24, AMP)
Whom are you serving? - Are you serving something, in which case it is about the next conquest, the Me-I-Myself syndrome, sometimes camouflaged with carefully chosen religious lingo? Are you serving God or mammon? Although mammon was a descriptive term for money and its pursuit, it also was used to refer to the evil influence (spirit or entity) associated with the greedy pursuit of wealth or gain. 'In biblical culture the word mammon often carried a negative connotation. It was sometimes used to describe all lusts and excesses: gluttony, greed, and dishonest worldly gain. Ultimately, mammon described an idol of materialism, which many trusted as a foundation for their world and philosophy.' (https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-mammon.html)
It is quite interesting to note that the sort of relationship many individuals claim to have with God is similar to the relationship many have with Santa Claus. Growing up, Santa Claus came to represent one who provided gifts for all who were interested, especially children. Such a relationship did not require service and sacrifice on our part; it was more like what may be described as an appear-and-grab relationship. In fact, it was not necessary to know the real name of the Santa Claus actor. Very superficial, to say the least. A superficial relationship with God will not suffice.
In Acts 5, Peter was presented with the choice of either compromising his faith in Jesus by stopping to preach in His Name or facing imprisonment and other forms of punishment as a result of preaching the Gospel. Thank God for Peter. He made the right choice saying, “We must obey God rather than men [we have no other choice]." (Acts 5:29, AMP). Some think that they can live carelessly or in a lackadaisical fashion in the non-challenging times and that when persecution arises, they will somehow have the grace and courage to face it. Really? If we are not serving Jesus now, it will be impossible to stand for Him when the going gets really tough. And tough times are coming.
In Joshua 24, the children of Israel were on the verge of entering the Promised Land. What a journey they had going through the wilderness - more like going round and round in circles for 40 years because of their stubbornness, rebellion and unbelief. They chose to serve other gods even as God was leading them through the wilderness. They failed to appreciate God's mercy, kindness and provision for them, yearning for the cucumber, melons, leeks, fish and meat they had in Egypt. As has been said over and over again, they came out of Egypt physically but Egypt did not come out of them - More like many people who claiming to be Christians, pursue a carnal agenda whilst in the Church of Christ, ignoring the Word and promises of God. There are consequences for playing games with God, Who is to be feared and obeyed.
Joshua, knowing that his time was up, so to speak, spoke boldly without fear or favour of the need for the children of Israel to make a choice, either to serve God or the gods of the Amorites, who had eyes but could not see and had ears but could not hear. These gods were dead just as the temporal things of this world are dead and unable to provide succour for the soul. My dear brethren, friends and acquaintances, we must make a choice, either for God or against Him. There is no sitting on the fence.
Jesus said in Matthew 20: 26-28, "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your [willing and humble] slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [paying the price to set them free from the penalty of sin].” (AMP)
Life in God's Kingdom is about service and sacrifice. Many are ill at ease because they have refused to embrace this simple, fundamental truth. It is really mind-boggling to think that Jesus, the Son of God, God the Son, the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End came to earth to serve. Wow!. it is really amazing. There is no one greater than Jesus - He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, the image of the invisible God, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is worthy of all the praise, glory, honour, majesty, splendour and worship. YET HE CAME TO SERVE, NOT TO BE SERVED. How do you process that?
During this period of Lent, we are reminded of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross of Calvary. He did what we could never do to reconcile us to God the Father. The question we started with is - Who are you serving? If you say you are serving God, is He fully in control of your life? Will you make up your mind today to serve Jesus wholeheartedly, unreservedly, sacrificially and humbly? He is worth all the trouble, persecution, challenges that will come your way as you serve Him and He will give you joy and peace unspeakable in every situation by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is worthy to be served, honoured and adored. Yes, Jesus is worthy of our devotion and service. Remember nothing is possible without Him for He said, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5, NKJV). Run to God, not away from Him.
Have a blessed day.
Have a blessed day.
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