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- Apr 25, 2006
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WHAT'S YOUR PLACE?
'Learn to serve and ...grow strong.' Ephesians 4:12
C. S. Lewis said, 'Joy bursts in on our lives when we go about doing the good at hand, and not trying to manipulate things and times to achieve joy.' Church isn't meant to be a place where everyone signs up to a serving rota out of obligation or duty - far from it! God wants us to all participate in building for His Kingdom, but the desire to do that comes from the inside out, and it can't be artificially planted on us from the outside in. When we serve out of our desire to please God, 'doing the good at hand' for Him, we will find joy. So find the place where you want to serve, and get at it!
Paul writes: 'Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ's body...God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, then prophesy whenever you can, as often as your faith is strong enough to receive a message from God. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If you are a preacher, see to it that your sermons are strong and helpful. If God has given you money, be generous in helping others with it. If God has given you administrative ability and put you in charge of the work of others, take the responsibility seriously. Those who offer comfort to the sorrowing should do so with Christian cheer' (Romans 12:4?8 TLB).
What do you enjoy doing, what are you good at? God has given each one of us gifts. So let's use them: 'learn to serve and...grow strong'.
What now? If you're serving for any other reason than to please God, it may be time to readdress your priorities. Put spending time with God higher up your list than the activities you're serving in, and watch His presence flow through everything else you do.
written by Bob Gass
'Learn to serve and ...grow strong.' Ephesians 4:12
C. S. Lewis said, 'Joy bursts in on our lives when we go about doing the good at hand, and not trying to manipulate things and times to achieve joy.' Church isn't meant to be a place where everyone signs up to a serving rota out of obligation or duty - far from it! God wants us to all participate in building for His Kingdom, but the desire to do that comes from the inside out, and it can't be artificially planted on us from the outside in. When we serve out of our desire to please God, 'doing the good at hand' for Him, we will find joy. So find the place where you want to serve, and get at it!
Paul writes: 'Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ's body...God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, then prophesy whenever you can, as often as your faith is strong enough to receive a message from God. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If you are a preacher, see to it that your sermons are strong and helpful. If God has given you money, be generous in helping others with it. If God has given you administrative ability and put you in charge of the work of others, take the responsibility seriously. Those who offer comfort to the sorrowing should do so with Christian cheer' (Romans 12:4?8 TLB).
What do you enjoy doing, what are you good at? God has given each one of us gifts. So let's use them: 'learn to serve and...grow strong'.
What now? If you're serving for any other reason than to please God, it may be time to readdress your priorities. Put spending time with God higher up your list than the activities you're serving in, and watch His presence flow through everything else you do.
written by Bob Gass
