Hosanna Restoration Church

I know that we all have our own special ways that we communicate with God. One thing I often do when I awake in the night is look at the clock and then I listen. Quite often, God will put a scripture on my heart. This morning, you guessed it, I awoke at 2:17, looked at the clock, said “I love you” to God and this scripture came to me.

When I looked it up, I was reminded of the importance of service. If you read this in the New Living Translation, it says that Paul would be happy to die for them. Some would say that things have changed and that we need not all be quite to radical today. Those who feel that way are very naïve, and know little of the calling of God on believers. There are people everyday that are giving their lives in service of others on behalf of Christ, and every believer must seek that kind of relationship with God.

This chapter tells us that we should be of the same mind that Christ was. He was and still is a servant on our behalf even though He is now seated at the right hand of our Father in heaven. He lives to make intercession for us. We are challenged to love one another, and to do things with right motives. Our concerns are not to be only for ourselves but for others as well.(Vs. 3 & 4)

As you read on, God says to work out your salvation. Press into it. Search out all that God has for you and all that He requires of you. Only then will you know the fullness of the plan of God for your life. God works in you to create a desire to do His will. We need only to present ourselves to Him and He will complete what He has begun in us. The key factor is for us to desire to see Him complete His plan for us.

Many times, people are fearful of yielding totally to God because they think He might ask them to do something they do not want to do. God does not ask us to do things we don’t want to do. He creates the desire before He asks. This does not mean that there will never be times when we are hesitant and, yes, even fearful as we realize what He is asking. Still, in our hearts we will know it is best. And you have to love verse 14, where God tells us to do all things without murmuring and disputing. If anyone thinks that they have arrived in their faith, all they need to do is measure themselves by this verse and humility will quickly return.

The bottom line is that we have all been called for service. God wants us to serve Him and serve one another. In serving others, we serve Him. As we do this, we experience more and more of the good plans that God has for us. With each step of obedience, we walk deeper into the kingdom and closer to our Lord. At the same time, we fortify ourselves against the one who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy us. Think Service!!