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Servants Will Serve Rev 22:3 “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:” There is only one true way to serve the Lord – know Him! When we get to know Him, service becomes a delight and pleasure. Christ was born to serve His Father’s will. Though He was God’s Son, He made Himself His servant. We, too, were born to serve; through gratitude, we are saying I owe the Lord even though I can never repay what He has done for me. The reason you were delivered from darkness was to serve the Lord. “And His servants will serve him.” When God told Pharaoh to let His people go, it was “that they may serve me.” (6 times). In God’s mind deliverance and service go together. DELIVERANCE is threefold: To serve the Lord - Not to serve ourselves - To be faithful servers Isa 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD [is] upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound;” As Christ is, so are we in the world. We have His nature and the Holy Spirit so that we might set captives free in His name and power. But people are not being delivered because we are not delivered. Only free men can deliver others. In order to press into Christ we must lay aside the weight that hinders us. Our thinking, speech and behavior must line up with Jesus Christ; otherwise, we are servants of Satan. Wherever sin resides we are servants to it: Romans 6:16 “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” We must be delivered from all forms of spiritual immaturity. Babes can’t conquer the enemies of the Lord. If we harbor timidity and fear, we will flee instead of fight the Lord’s battles. If we indulge in rebellious activity and refuse hardness as good soldiers of Jesus, we will not be fit for His army. Selfishness only serves itself. Worldliness is so we can serve ourselves. Demas is mentioned in scripture as a fellow worker with Paul (2 Tim.4:10). The contrast that Paul is sharing is that Demas cared more about the things of the world than the things of the Kingdom of God. Commentaries tell us because Paul was not popular, Demas left him to find more excitement and Paul says, “this is dishonorable,” even producing apostasy. Further historical writings say it was “money” Demas was after so he got in a dispute and left Paul. As long as our thoughts are filled with envy and strife, we are yet carnal (1 Cor.3:3). And carnal Christians cannot teach others to walk in the Spirit, neither can they know how to serve the Lord. Christ’s servants must be free from oppressors and hindrances to serve the Lord (Luke 1:74-75). The first reason we are delivered is to serve the Lord. Second, we are delivered so as not to serve ourselves. (Phil 3:7-12) The Lord delivers us from the control of sin, immaturity, hindrances and oppressions that we might give our all to Him. There are multitudes of examples in the Bible of being delivered in order to serve the Lord. In each case, those who were delivered sought not what God could do for them, but what they could do for God. Today salvation is different. Many receive the Lord so He may help them do their own will in life. As with the deception of humanism, they believe Christianity to be a higher kind of self-realization in which to choose their own walk in life. Discipleship always asks to give up our own plans for the ones we are to serve. But today, Christians misuse their liberty for an occasion to serve the flesh (Gal.5:13). The true gospel teaches that the Savior is not come to assist us; we are to assist Him. John 8:29 “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” Our prayers must always be, “Lord what do You want me to do.” (Act.9:6) The third reason for deliverance is “To be faithful servers.” (Daniel 6:16) It was the faithfulness of Daniel that brought forth his deliverance. He served God continually and was delivered. Over and over again God brings forth His faithful servants. “God holds a special place for those who serve Him continually. Because they never fail to serve Him, He never fails to save them.” Faithful servants demonstrate the principle of giving. Because they give, it is given to them. Wherever they go, God stands with them, ready to rescue them in whatever they may go through. God’s reason has not changed. He still delivers his people that they may serve Him. We must continue to allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse us and purify our souls, to establish and mature us so that we may do his will without reservation. MEDITATE OF THIS: “Your God, whom you serve continually, he will deliver you.” Col.3:23 -24 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Serve the Lord diligently, in season and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2), when you see results and when you don’t; when you are popular and when you are despised, when you are weak or when you are strong – CARRY ON. Let nothing and no one keep you from fulfilling your service to the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” Believe that your service will be noticed and blessed by the Lord of the harvest: Hebrews 6:10 “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” As you believe, so shall it be done unto you. Everyone who sows in tears, shall reap in joy, and that includes you! “AND HIS SERVANTS SHALL SERVE HIM!”
-Pr. Steve
November Newsletter 2006 | Servants Will Serve | Pastor's Journal November 2005 |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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