Don't be unknowingly led astray
I don't want to praise the enemy, but the satan is really a smart guy. He finds ways and means to steer people off course so that they never reach their intended destination. Especially for people who love Jesus. What do I mean?
We love Jesus and we give our lives to Him. We pledged to Him that we will serve Him forever and will remain faithful in the House of God because we love Him. Yet, does it mean that once we made that pledge and commitment, we will never face any temptations or fall into traps because of our foolishness? I think we all know the answer. Much on the contrary as a matter of fact, it is often in the area where we think we are the safest, where the danger lurks.
A person who devotes all his free time to serving God in a ministry faces the danger of becoming someone who serves more than he loves. Sometimes we get so sucked into our ministry that we forget the reason why we started serving. Service is good, but it should never replace the God we serve.
Even one who serves God full time and may be doing many things for the kingdom of God and body of Christ may unknowingly start to treat it like just another job and goes about doing what he or she ought to accomplish but forget that at the end of the day, the reason why they are serving God in that manner is to disciple members and build up a generation who loves God fervently.
Of course, I am not advocating becoming less fervent, less passionate or devote less time to serving God. But I feel it is important that we never become so complacent that we forget the reason for our very existence and the reasons why we serve in the first place. Then it will all become meaningless.
So what if I serve God 20 hours one day but not 1 minute I am doing it for God, but rather for responsibility of out of fear of man? In the eyes of God, I think He does not see the 20 hours. Yes, we may be rewarded for faithfulness in little things, but God is really looking for people with a true heart of worship. That no matter what we are doing, the centre of the motivation is a true heart of worship.
Sun is a great example. She may not be doing what conventional pastors or church workers are doing. But in the core of all her secular singing and performances is a heart of worship. People may not be able to see on the surface how it all links together, but God looks beyond the surface into the core of the matter. Really, at the end of the day, what really matters is the fruits of the ministry. That people are won into the kingdom of God and through whatever we do, we not only draw closer to God Himself, but also draw other people closer to Him.
You may be a worker in the marketplace and not serving God as a full time staff, but it does not matter. What matters is a heart of worship. So that no matter what you are doing, it rises out of this heart of worship.
I constantly remind myself: Don't be so task oriented. Don't fall into this trap that I see my full time ministry as a job, as a chore. I want to do everything with a heart of worship. Even when I am just stacking chairs, I want to do it with a heart of worship. Then, I'd know. That God will accept everything that I do.
I don't want to praise the enemy, but the satan is really a smart guy. He finds ways and means to steer people off course so that they never reach their intended destination. Especially for people who love Jesus. What do I mean?
We love Jesus and we give our lives to Him. We pledged to Him that we will serve Him forever and will remain faithful in the House of God because we love Him. Yet, does it mean that once we made that pledge and commitment, we will never face any temptations or fall into traps because of our foolishness? I think we all know the answer. Much on the contrary as a matter of fact, it is often in the area where we think we are the safest, where the danger lurks.
A person who devotes all his free time to serving God in a ministry faces the danger of becoming someone who serves more than he loves. Sometimes we get so sucked into our ministry that we forget the reason why we started serving. Service is good, but it should never replace the God we serve.
Even one who serves God full time and may be doing many things for the kingdom of God and body of Christ may unknowingly start to treat it like just another job and goes about doing what he or she ought to accomplish but forget that at the end of the day, the reason why they are serving God in that manner is to disciple members and build up a generation who loves God fervently.
Of course, I am not advocating becoming less fervent, less passionate or devote less time to serving God. But I feel it is important that we never become so complacent that we forget the reason for our very existence and the reasons why we serve in the first place. Then it will all become meaningless.
So what if I serve God 20 hours one day but not 1 minute I am doing it for God, but rather for responsibility of out of fear of man? In the eyes of God, I think He does not see the 20 hours. Yes, we may be rewarded for faithfulness in little things, but God is really looking for people with a true heart of worship. That no matter what we are doing, the centre of the motivation is a true heart of worship.
Sun is a great example. She may not be doing what conventional pastors or church workers are doing. But in the core of all her secular singing and performances is a heart of worship. People may not be able to see on the surface how it all links together, but God looks beyond the surface into the core of the matter. Really, at the end of the day, what really matters is the fruits of the ministry. That people are won into the kingdom of God and through whatever we do, we not only draw closer to God Himself, but also draw other people closer to Him.
You may be a worker in the marketplace and not serving God as a full time staff, but it does not matter. What matters is a heart of worship. So that no matter what you are doing, it rises out of this heart of worship.
I constantly remind myself: Don't be so task oriented. Don't fall into this trap that I see my full time ministry as a job, as a chore. I want to do everything with a heart of worship. Even when I am just stacking chairs, I want to do it with a heart of worship. Then, I'd know. That God will accept everything that I do.
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