7 Aspects of Christian Service

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~ How’s Your Christian Service? ~

 

The Commission  ~  “Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20).  “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’  And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’  And let him who thirsts come.  Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).

 

The Condition  ~  “So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?’  He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’  He said to him, ‘Feed My lambs.’  He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’  He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’  He said to him, ‘Tend My sheep.’  He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’  Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’  And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep’ (John 21:15-17).

 

The Motive  ~  “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died” (2 Corinthians 5:14).  “And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey?” (Hebrews 3:18).

 

The Resources  ~  Jesus said, “Take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:28-30).

 

The Preparation  ~  “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

 

The Power  ~  “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5).  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

 

The Spirit  ~  “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.  He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:5-6).

 

additional note:  For those interested in looking deeper at the subject of Christian Service the ALN Index in the left column lists a 5-part post in May of 2014.

 

sidebar: This is the 100^th ALN post of 7 things.

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

 

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7 Aspects of Service

~ Get Out of the Pit and Into His Service ~

The Passage  ~  The first stanza of Psalm 40.  “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.  He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.  He has put a new song in my mouth — Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:1-3).  

Your State by Nature  ~  “He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay” (verse 2), …

Your Salvation by Grace  ~  He brought me up and out of both the pit and the clay!

Your Standing in Christ  ~  … “and set my feet upon a rock” (verse 2), …

Your Stability for Christ  ~  … “and established my steps” (verse 2). …

Your Song of Thanksgiving  ~  … “He has put a new song in my mouth” (verse 3) — …

Your Saintly Testimony  ~  … “many will see it and fear” (verse 3), …

Your Service and Soul-Winning  ~  … “and will trust in the Lord” (verse 3). 

additional comment  ~  “Many will see it and fear” (verse 3).  “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:6-14). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

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Servants of Christ, 5of5

~ 4 Key Traits of Effective Servants ~

To be acceptable in God’s eyes a servant must serve with the four following traits.

Serve Wholeheartedly (affections)  ~  “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13).  “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Serve Willing (mind)   ~  “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9a).  “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).

Serve Humbly (attitudes)  ~  “From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.  And when they had come to him, he said to them: ‘You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ’” (Acts 20:17-21).

Serve Joyfully (spirit)  ~  “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!  Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.  Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture” (Psalm 100:1-3).

 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).