Serving God with your Spirit Romans 1:9“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;” When God created man, He created him in His own image. When we look at the image of God we learn that there are three parts to God. There is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We call this the Trinity. Because we were created in the image of God, we also have three parts to our being. Man is composed of body, soul and spirit. If we are going to be successful in serving God, then we must serve God with all parts of our being in order for God to be pleased with our Christianity. In the verse above, the Apostle Paul said that one of the ways he served God was “...with my spirit...” When Paul said that he served God with his spirit, he was talking about his spirit was in harmony with his physical service to God. In other words, Paul had a good spirit while he served God. I truly believe that part of the problem with Christians today is they are not serving God with their spirit. Yes, I am thankful that people are involved in serving God physically, for the work of the LORD would not go forward without this. But, the work of the LORD could be furthered greatly if Christians would put their spirit into serving God. For instance, a half-hearted spirit will create a half-hearted effort. There are many Christians serving God half-heartedly. Because of their half-hearted efforts, they are missing out on the true blessings of God by not giving their all. You will never enjoy serving God with a half-hearted spirit. If you are going to physically do something, then put your spirit into it. Then, there are some who have a spirit where they feel they have to serve God. This person always says, “I have to go to church.” Every duty this person does is done with the spirit of, “I have to do this.” This spirit will cause others to not want to serve God. Why would anybody want to follow people who have a “have to” spirit? The best type of spirit we can have when it comes to serving God is a cheerful, happy, full of joy type of spirit. This type of spirit is a choice. This choice starts with a Christian realizing the honor it is to be able to serve God. When you realize the honor you have to serve God, you will put your spirit into serving God. When you involve your spirit in serving God, then you will stop looking at yourself and enjoy the privilege of serving Him. Watch your spirit and don't let anything destroy your spirit. When serving God, you need to serve Him with your spirit. Make sure that you have the right spirit with everything you do in your service to God. Serving God is a privilege; now let your spirit know that, and you will serve Him with a happy and joyful spirit. Let your spirit be in agreement with your physical service to God. When the spirit agrees with the physical effort, everyone will see it and great accomplishments can be made in the lives of those whom you serve.
Blessed when Content "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." If the only gift God gave you was salvation, He would have given you eternally more than you deserve. What's great about many of the ancient fables and stories is that even in a fictional, sometimes funny story, a moral or life principle is taught. I remember reading one that talked of two men and their different views of life. One of the men was a wealthy businessman who worked night and day to grow his company and assure its success. He was very goal-oriented and never seemed to slow down even for a minute. He was always on the go. The other man was a fisherman who set sail every morning out on the sea to catch fish for his family to eat that day. After the fisherman caught enough fish to feed his family he would return to shore, clean the fish, and settle in to relax the rest of the day. One afternoon the businessman had business at the docks where the fisherman was relaxing. After he finished his business, he passed by the fisherman, and seeing him napping, he woke him up and asked him, "Why are you not out fishing?" The fisherman replied, "I've caught enough fish to feed my family for today, so I have no need to continue fishing." Seeking to "help" the fisherman out, the businessman then commented, "But if you were to continue fishing, you could catch more fish." "Why would I need to do that?" "Well, so you could make more money!" "Why do I need more money?" "So you can buy a bigger boat." "Why do I need a bigger boat?" "So you can relax on it." "Isn't that what I'm doing now?" While a determined, and proactive attitude is not a bad thing, some people allow that characteristic to rule their lives. What the businessman couldn't see was that while he encouraged the fisherman to do more, make more, and buy more; the fisherman was already experiencing the joys of a content life. Stop right now and think of how much of a grip discontentment has in our society. Discontentment drives people into debt. It breaks apart marriages. It steals joy. Discontentment is a very real enemy that threatens to ruin our lives. But while some people thrive on a need for getting and having more, God promises that as we are content with what He's given us, we will inherit those things that can never be bought. God knew the pull that would be on His disciples to revert to their old lives, to pursue the things of the world, but He promised that as they were meek, or content, He would bless them beyond what they could imagine. The same promise is available to you as well. Rather than pursuing the goods of this world and striving for earthly gain, God desires that you would be content with what He has given you. Everything you have has been given to you by God. He has blessed you with so much! Why would you covet more than He has already given you? God has given you more than enough for you to fulfill His purpose for your life. But He promises that as you follow Him with a content heart, He will continue blessing you. Do you want God's blessing? Don't fall into the trap of discontentment and vain striving. Realize that God has given you more than you deserve, and be content with His blessings. The next time the devil tempts you to become discontent, remember your home in Heaven and thank God He has offered you the gift of eternal salvation. To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter. Daily Bible Reading Joshua 19-21 | Luke 2:25-52
The Roar of the Lion The Two Lions “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” ( 1 Pet. 5:8) There’s a lion on the loose, and he is chasing us all about. He is a fierce beast, seeking whom he may devour; he’s a hungry animal with an insatiable appetite for flesh, and he is right on our heels hoping to destroy us and leave our dead carcasses in ruin. Yes, though he seems to be always on our heels, roaring, and growling, and sounding fierce, we have naught to worry if we have Jesus. The “Lion of the tribe of Judah” is our protector, and all He need do is roar, and the adversary flees like a scared kitten. As the “hunter” hunts for precious souls, he will also take the careless ones, and devour their testimony. He will hinder them from ever walking right again, and break their spirit-bones, leaving them in a wretched heap on the ground. He cannot get your soul, but he can get your life and your testimony. Be vigilant! Watch out! He is lurking in the shadows of life, and hiding in the darkness of our thoughts. We must always walk circumspectly; Ephesians 5:15 says it best: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,” the devil may hit from any angle and when we least expect him to. Thank God for the roar of the other Lion-- the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who is our Champion, and our Savior. There is something that we can do though; each one of us can… “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” ( Rom. 12: 1, 2) Our Lion-Champion is greater than the adversary; He is able to defeat the devourer before he gets us; rest and consolation are his gifts to us, and freedom from the roar of evil; this Lion gives instead of takes; He loves instead of hates; he brings blessings in the place of ruin, and life instead of sure death.
Let This Mind Be In You
Reading Philippians 2:4-8 quoted below reminds me how much I stumble with my Pride. When I think about what my Saviour did on His Cross just for me, and doing what He did in subjection (obedience) to His Father, I shake in my mind as to the smallness of my subjection.
I work hard at being humble, and try to follow God’s will. Yet in all I do, failure seems to be my answer, not abject failure of “not getting the job done,” but in spiritual failure like, “Have I done enough for my Lord Jesus?” or “Have I done enough for my church?” What about that one person sitting in row five, seat two, “Have I helped him enough?”
The absolute answer is “NO.” I have not nor will I ever succeed at a level that will be satisfying to me. I believe for the most part that I am doing God’s will, (even those days when I seem in doubt.) My honest intent is to do the “will of God.”
After my secular college, and after I had been in the Aviation Industry for several years, I had to write resumes detailing all the types of work I had done. I puffed myself up, and at that time, my mind was not “His mind.”
After finally being saved by God, I had a real hard time getting myself wrapped around the phrase, “Let this mind be in you…” I was so accustomed to promoting myself that it was hard to bring my Pride down. I wanted to continue to promote myself as to how “good” I had become.
Then I look to my Christ on His Cross, and I know He was and is there for me. Because He had given himself in obedience (subjection) to His Father, I don’t have to climb on my cross and die for my sins. My Jesus forgave me from that cross, and all I must do is believe in Him.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The questions remaining are, “Do you believe?” Another question is, “If You Died Today, Would Heaven Be Your Home?” Are you obedient, and do you have “…this mind in you…?”
I cannot answer these questions for you. I can answer only for myself and no one else. Only you can answer for yourself.
Bro John R. E Chastain
Philippians 2:4-8 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. (5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Fight The Good Fight of Faith
The scripture 1 Timothy 6:6-12 quoted below tells us we came into this world naked, and we will go out the same way. We should be content with what we have, yet, most of us are tempted with all kinds of new technology, and with things we to think we need. These become a snare.
After reading these verses, I began thinking about what a Pastor did in earlier times without our modern technology. How did he schedule Missionaries, Revivals, write sermons, Sunday School lessons, and just schedule “plain old dinner on the grounds” fellowships?
After much thought, I decided he didn’t have as many problems as we do today. Until telephones became available, a local assembly might not hear from a Missionary or Evangelist for years, and might never have one in their church. The post office had to suffice, no last minute changes, no sudden anything.
It is hard for me to put anything I do for the Lord into the context of“…foolish or hurtful lusts...” Our problem is how we use our technology. So many use modern technology “…for foolish and hurtful lusts…” Take the internet for instance. I use our modern technology, probably not to the fullest extent I could. I use an electronic KJBible for preparing the final version of my sermons and Sunday School lessons. I sometime look up historical background for a message on the internet. I also converse with Pastors and others via e-mail. The snare to all this is it takes some free time which could be added to additional study and prayer time, or door to door visitation.
We find we are caught in a “catch 22.” The technology is here and we seem not able to divorce ourselves from it. Our verse tells us “…flee these things…” If we could only turn, our clocks back to the fifties, maybe the late forties when time was slower, and we didn’t know as much then as we do now.
However, in today’s mind set we have resources and capabilities we could never have imagined back then. So the best we can do is monitor our time, be sure the technology isn’t our life, and make sure above all that Jesus Christ our Lord is our life. “…Fight For The Good Fight Of Faith...”
Bro John R. E Chastain
1 Timothy 6:6-12 But godliness with contentment is great gain. (7) For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. (8) And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. (9) But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. (10) For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (11) But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (12) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
I Will Trust
As we read the scriptures in Isaiah 12:2-4 quoted below, we are reminded of the fact that God is our Salvation, and in His Salvation, we can trust and never fear.
This is our last day of our Spring Revival, and I pray that we can see reasons for saying, “Praise the Lord.” I pray that we will talk about and remember the Spring 2010 Revival for weeks, months, and maybe years as the time that brought Revival to our Church. I pray it will cause a spark and start a Revival in Wellington, Texas. Because of that spark, we may see another spark that will inflame a Revival in all of the Panhandle, and the State of Texas, and on across our Nation.
What will it take to bring the Revival that will get our Nation back to God?
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
It has to start with Christians who will say “…I will trust...” It must start in the Church, a New Testament Bible Church, a Church which believes that Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified on that “Old Rugged Cross,” and three days later God raised Him from that grave. That must be the premise for you and I to humble ourselves and pray.
This Revival will not be remembered as that Great Revival of ought ’10 if we as members are not willing to “…trust…” in His Word.
Do you, without reservation, without doubt, or fear, trust in our Lord? If you cannot confess your lack of “trust” today, when are you going to “…trust..?” Tomorrow?
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Revive yourself with God’s Holy Word. Transform your mind, and allow the Holy Spirit to take control.
Bro John R. E Chastain
Isaiah 12:2-4 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. (3) Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. (4) And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.
|
RSS Feed
