What's Your Attitude Towards Serving?

What's Your Attitude Towards Serving?

by David Brenneman 

‭“Your words have been arrogant against Me,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before the Lord of hosts?  So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.’ ” Malachi 3:13-15.

It's, to me at least, a danced around subject.  While many many times the subject of serving is brought up in sermon and in conversation...the obvious issue isn't approached. 

What is your attitude towards serving your Savior and Lord?

What is your definition of serving your Savior and Lord?

These two must be looked at to find out where you are with regards to it.

Many wonder about the state of the world with regards to the Church's influence and impact upon it.

We can read of what the Church's impact and influence are SUPPOSED to be in the New Testament.  But if those whom claim to be Christians are only being Christians on Sunday Mornings and possibly Sunday Evenings and maybe Wednesday nights...there's your probable reason for a weak influence. 

You who are claiming that your salvation rests in the Lord Jesus Christ...YOU are the Church wherever you are.  Your life is in service to Jesus wherever you wake up.  In your going out and your coming in.  

Akin to this is your worship time. You choose to also worship during your week or you choose the world's music to influence your heart and mind.  Worship does not end when you walk out of the Church building.  On the contrary, that's when it's to begin.

If you're not setting your mind on the things that are of God...it's no wonder your life will be one battle after another.  It's no wonder you find yourself as Malachi wrote earlier in this chapter with a purse full of holes.  

It's incredibly important to realize that your life in Christ is a 24/7 deal. 

He isn't a butler. 

He isn't your servant. 

He isn't omniscient, omnipresent, for His health.  He's in you and for you to grow in Christ. To become less like you've been and more like He is.

Turn on your radio, your television, your web browser, your podcasts...who is being fed what by what you are choosing to eat?

Yes, it's food...ironically...food for thought.  

You are not going to find the kind of peace that passes all understanding if you aren't doing life God's way.

Being busy all the time for the wrong reasons is foolishness before God.  Making excuses for why you aren't doing more with Jesus or for Jesus is why the Church today does have so many splits.  Of why the supposed hands and feet of Jesus are idle.

Going back to what you are feeding yourself...your list of excuses. Are they going to hold up before Christ when you give an account of your life?

Millions of people have a hoarding problem.  I don't mean physical things although that's a multi billion dollar industry.

It's hoarding thoughts and feelings, actions even, that aren't doing anything to show Jesus Christ alive and well in our lives.  People aren't seeing Jesus because we're hiding Jesus by what we are choosing to keep engaged with in our lives.

Hoarders can't figure out how to live without something. A form of separation anxiety arises.  What will become of this or that?  My Dear Reader...you die today and none of it will matter to you. Guaranteed.  All unbelievers in Hell are not concerned in the least about cars, houses, family heirlooms. 

All Believers in Heaven aren't concerned by those things either.

These same-said people aren't concerned about what they didn't finish. Not at all concerned about not being able to work more.  Not at all concerned about what other's might be thinking. Ironically fears do not exist in either place.  Worries do not impact either. 

What's possible is eternal regrets.  Regrets that they didn't use their time, energy and efforts better for Jesus than they did.  That they didn't realize how fruitless their lives were in living for self.  

Those in Hell, many regrets concerning rejection of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

Jesus has a plan and purpose for each person in the body of Christ. 

The body of Christ is a fit body. 

It's a healthy body.  The Spirit sets us in the body of Christ as He sees fit.  In Heaven there will be no denominations. Just the Church, the Bride of Christ.  Get over that denomination thing.  

Maybe this has caused you to think about your attitudes during your week.  If so...good.  

If in your life you have run from serving because people have attacked you or your family.  Think of it this way. Read your Bible. You're in good company.  Return to God and submit to His plan and purpose for you.  

Jesus IS returning some day soon. 

Jesus IS going to have all Believer's give an account of their lives before Him. 

You're not going to have an excuse to stand on. It says every one's deeds will be tried by fire.  What remains will be for Jesus.  

Think about what you are choosing to engage in your life. Think about your attitudes towards your salvation.  Think about whether you are living for Jesus or for you. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.