The Secrets Behind Joyful Serving In Church
Do you enjoy serving God in church? Personally, I say that I really enjoy serving my living God. I have never regretted my decision to serve Him full-time in the church. Although I face many of great challenges in my ministry, I can still say serving God in the church is best. The reason why I say this is because of the following reasons:
Firstly, I know to whom I am serving. Honestly speaking I admit that I struggle many times in my ministry about many things, particularly bringing people to church. Though I struggle a lot it never puts out my passion in serving God. The one thing I know is that I am not serving to please people but God. This is the main reason why I do not give up on my ministry. The Apostle Paul makes a very strong stand in his ministry because he knew whom he served. See 2 Timothy 1:11-12 “And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day”.
Besides the Apostle Paul, God Himself has spoken to prophet Jeremiah about things which he had to boast about in his life. He reminded Jeremiah to not boast about things on this earth but he had to boast about God because he knew who he was. See Jeremiah 9:23-24 “This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD. For sure, I believe by knowing God personally in our lives, we will keep on enjoying serve in His ministry in the Church. This is the reason that I enjoy serving God in the church. Do you enjoy serving God in Church?
Secondly, I know why I was called. According to the Bible there are two types of calling. The first calling is a general calling where God calls all of us to come to Him for the eternal life. See John 3:16 “"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. The second calling is a special calling, it refers to a calling for the special task of serving Him full-time. See Mark 1:17 “"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
I spent about six years praying about my calling. To make a decision to serve God full-time in church is not an easy thing to do. First, I needed to deny myself and secondly I needed to bear the cross and follow Him. See in Mark 8:34 “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”. After serving God for a few years in different ministries in the church, I find myself so special in God sight. I have never regretted my decision to serve Him full-time in Church, in fact I enjoy it.
Each one of us is called by God to serve Him, to preach the Good News to all people, to every tribe regardless of their position and background. See Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in [1] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." As long as we are in this world we are required to preach God’s word. We can preach to the people around us by many means; it can be through our actions, our lifestyle or our words.
No one can say that he or she is better than others as we are all equal before our loving God. If we are equal to God, it means that we are worthy to serve Him. How do we serve Him? The Bible says to us “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven”. Besides that we also can refer to 1 Thessalonians 4:7 “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life”.
Thirdly, I know to whom I belong. The Bible reveals to us that we are from God. Or, in other words, we belong to Him. See Genesis 1:26-27 “Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. We were created by Him in His image.
A sister in our church said her parents always accuse her because she keeps talking about God. Sometime she has difficulties in explaining to her parents why she keeps talking about God. While I listened to her a message came to my heart. Why do I keep talking about God without ceasing to others? One of the reasons is because I come from Him. And, because I come from Him I will not stop talking about Him. He is so good, loving and sweet to me.
There is no doubt for us to say that we belong to Him because the Bible says so. See in 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light”. After knowing that I belong to Him and not to this world my heart is filled with peace. This fact keeps me enjoying whilst serving Him in church. Although sometimes I face a lot of challenges but it does not change my heart for God. For sure, one day I will be with Him (that is in heaven) if I am faithful to Him until the end of my life. Do you know that you belong to God?
See in 2 Timothy 2:19 “Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
Fourthly, I know what I will face in my ministry as I serve Him. Clearly, in the four gospels of the Bible we can find many instances when Jesus reminds His disciples about the cost of following Him. One of the longest passages which talks about it is John 15:18 -27 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you”. To follow Jesus Christ means “to deny ourselves and to bear the cross”. It is not a one day event, it is forever. In bad and in good times, we need to follow Him, without complaining.
Before I entered Bible school, I first meet many veteran pastors. I shared with them about my heart to become a full-time worker in the church. They gave me different options and advised me according to their experience in God’s ministry. One of the common things that they shared with me is the cost of following Christ. I said to myself “I will give all my life to Him to be used by Him”. Why am I doing this; because I can receive a lot from Him? The only way I can repay Him for what He has given me is to offer my life to Him, to be used by Him. Though sometimes I grumble in my ministry because of difficulties, His Word helps me. See in 2 Corinthians 1:4-11 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God”. From this passage I learn to say thank you to God for everything. Out of each thing God has purpose.
The Apostle Paul has given us a very good example to follow. He went through many difficulties in his ministry but he never said bad things about God rather he spoke that God is good. His example gives me solid encouragement to be faithful to God in everything. See in 2 Timothy 3:10-13 “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings--what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted; while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived”.
Do not be afraid of difficulties which come to us because it will not kill our soul. Fear the one who can kill our soul - that is the devil.
Fifthly, I know why I am in this world. One of the things which keeps me doing more for God is my life in this world. I know that one day I will die. No one can escape from dying physically without God’s intervention. That is why I enjoy serving God in church. Death never recognizes our position, age or race but we need to prepare for it. One of the things which help us to value our lives in this world is to know who our creator is. By knowing our creator will lead us to know our purpose in life on this earth. This will enable us to enjoy our studies, career, and ministry. Paul solemnly urges the Christians in the early church to be aware that we are foreigners on this earth. See 1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul”. Clearly the Bible tells us that this world is not our home. Our home is where God is. Do you know that this world we live in today is not our home?
Jesus told His disciples that He would return to His Father’s house to prepare a place for you and me. Do you want to be with Him after this world is destroyed? If you say yes, accept Jesus to come into your heart as your Lord and personal savior. See in John 14:6 “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this are the whole [duty] of man”.
Romans 4:21 “being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised”.
Sixthly, I know where I am going after death. Another thing which makes me not regret my decision to serve God full-time in Church is, one day for sure I will be with God in heaven. Physical death is not the end of everything on this earth but eternal life awaits for those who have received Christ into their life. That is why I enjoy serving God in the Church today. I believe if I am faithful to Him until end of my life, I will be with Him in heaven. To know there is life after death removes all worries and fears from occupying our heart. As a Christian we shall not fear death, because there is eternal life for those who believe in Him. See Romans 6:23
The Apostle Paul wanted to urge all the Ephesians Christians to surrender their lives fully to Jesus. The reason why he urged them to commit their life to Jesus was because of the following: See in 2 Timothy 2:11-13 “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; 12if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; 13if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. Jesus never leaves us alone but he always calls our name to come to him. He wants every one of us to be saved. See Revelation 3:20 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me”.
If you really know Him personally in your life I believe to die for Him is not a problem. The Bible has spoken to us that those who confess Him as they Lord and savior will be saved. See in Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Do you know where you are going after death? As for me, I know where am I going after I die. That is why I am not afraid to die rather I enjoy serving in God’s Ministry.
Lastly, I know to whom am I preaching to. One of the things which keep me enjoying my ministry in church is the message I preach. Honestly speaking, I do not preach about myself but about Jesus Christ who saves me. I thank Him for calling me to be His vessel. Even though materially I don’t have many things like some others but I know I have Jesus whom I can boast about. See in Jeremiah 9:23-24 “This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD”.
I always say to my friends, I can’t tell to you much about the things of this earth but I can tell you more about my God. Why do I say that I know in whom I believe? I experience His love, grace and power personally each day in my life. Based on my experience with Him I can tell others more about my God. At the same time I need to admit that I am not a good preacher but one thing I am very sure of is my God is a good God. Because I worship a good God which I know therefore I can share more about Him to others. Likewise how can I share about something – for example “an orange” if I have never eaten an orange before? It would be difficult for to explain to others how an orange tasted.. So in the same way if I did not know my God it would be difficult for me to share “who he is” with others.
Each of us is qualified to serve Him in church regardless of age, race and job and so on. The most important thing for us today is that we know Him personally in our lives. To share about God with others is not a difficult thing to do. As long as we have the heart for Him to save others is the most important thing. What we need to do now is to surrender our lives to Him and allow Him to take control of our entire life. By doing this I believe we will keep enjoying our ministry. The enjoyment in our hearts will keep us from regretting what we do.
“Remember God is more concerned with our character than with our achievements. Achievements have importance only in the realm of time. Character is eternal it determines what we will be throughout eternity”. by Derek Prince.
“Be not weary in your serving, do your best for those in need, kindnesses will be rewarded, by the Lord who prompts the death”. by Anon.
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