Grace: We Serve, He Blesses

There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 

1 Corinthians 12:5-7 NIV

As far as our egos go, God doesn't need us to build his church. He always has his seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal (I Kings 19:18). But, his grace gives us a place and a purpose in the body of Christ. The divine beauty of it all is that we serve and up getting blessed. God created us to enjoy a measure of fulfillment from serving others. 

The bottom line is: just serve God, he will take care of you.

Choose to Build

"Everything is permissible"- but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"- but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good but the good of others. 

I Corinthians 10:23-24

As a teacher, I know what actually helps students learn. You can do a lot of things to temporarily get their attention, but, that does not mean the students are actually learning the content. Everything I do in the classroom is to help the students learn, to build them up. The funny thing is, kids don't realize that. Now, as Christians, everything the Word of God tells us is to build us up in Christ. Yet, often we don't realize that truth. 

My purpose and your purpose in the body of Christ is to build each other up, to seek their good. It does not matter what your gifts are, your purpose is to seek the good of others. I have been built up by someone telling me, "Good job, keep it up!" and "Get it together man, your wife needs you to stand strong and encourage her." One was kind of a pat on the back and the other was sort of a slap in the face. Both really built me up. 

So, there are a lot of things you can say and do in the Body of Christ, choose what will build other up in Christ.

Just a Little Test

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 

1 Corinthians 8:1 NIV

Just one little test. Does it build up? Is what I am about to say going to build the other person up or just puff me up? Did you ever notice that often when we put someone else down, it's really just to make us look better?

I can think of at least two situations yesterday alone where if I am honest with myself, I was not really trying to build someone else up. 

OK. So, no condemnation. What do I do? Well, for me, I have to find a way to build up those people. Sometimes, for me, it is hard because dealing with belligerent, uncontrolled teen agers who probably just need a good old fashion wood shed experience, is very challenging. Telling the truth in love is not always just a warm fuzzy exchange. But, the bottom line, the test is always: does it build up? 

You Were

And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:11  NIV

Do you know what the first rule of Italian driving is? The answer: What's behind you doesn't matter. (If you know the movie that's one trivia point for you.) 

In one way, Christianity is like that; what happened in your past does not determine who you are in Christ. We were all enemies of God some way. But, in Christ, we were washed, sanctified and justified by the Spirit of our God. 

When I was in High School there was this one guy who everybody knew was the guy who pretty much did more drugs and partied more than anyone else. He became a Christian and at one of youth groups he gave his testimony. Everyone thought he was going to talk about his past. He simply said, "I was lost, but now I'm found. I was living in the dark, but now I'm in the light..." It was one of the shortest, most profound and moving testimonies I ever heard. We all knew what he was, and the beauty was that he just wanted to talk about and enjoy how God had made him a new person in Christ. 

Remember, it's not about who we were, it's about who we are in Christ. 

Remember the Power of His Presence

When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present..." 

I Corinthians 5:4

Sometimes I do things on my own and sometimes I forget to wait on the Lord. I think it's important to recognize what Paul is getting at here. He is dealing with the Corinthians who were not handling a situation with an immoral brother properly. I am struck with the idea that he instructs them to get together in the name of the Lord Jesus, to remember him (I think how he does things), and to be aware of the power of the presence of the Lord Jesus. 

How I think this applies to me (and you) is when I know something is wrong and/or that something needs to be dealt with, I need to approach it in a godly manner. I need to seek the Lord's will, remember how godly people have dealt with similar situations (Biblical examples and people I know), and wait upon the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm not talking warm fuzzy stuff, I am talking the peace of Christ. 

Before I get off on a tangent, I just want to get back to the idea of being in the presence of the Lord Jesus. I think this is all about acknowledging his Lordship, resting his Sovereignty and praising him for his mercy, grace and forgiveness. 

He Will Keep You

Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:7-9 NIV

The amazing truth that God himself will keep us firm to the end encourages us to keep pressing on in Christ. 

In one way it's like the Spirit is our personal spiritual trainer. He uses others to exhort us to know Christ more. He uses our consciences to direct us from harm and to the truth. In his Word we are reminded of the hope we have that motivates us to love, forgive and serve even in the darkest hours. 

In another way, God keeping us firm so that we will be blameless on the day of out Lord Jesus Christ, is the bedrock of our Christian lives. His blood, shed for us, keeps our consciences clear as we remember his death and resurrection. We are his workmanship. Get it? He decided before the foundation of the world to die for us, to save us, to make us his children. He will keep us strong to the end. 

BOASTFUL THANKS

"He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast  before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom of God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."" I Corinthians 1:28-31

Thank you, Lord, for being our righteousness, holiness and redemption! 

What are you thankful for! 

IT IS TIME TO JUST SERVE: I Corinthians 12:7

"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." I Corinthians 12:7

I confess, I have a little inner conflict going on within me. My family and I have been attending a particular church for a few years now. Our daughter is involved with the youth group, which is one of the main reasons we began attending the church. I have been enjoying the mens study on  Wednesday mornings before work and getting to know a few men. But, I know I need to truly serve.

Our pastor has been teaching on the gifts and being involved. I have almost met with him twice since we started attending. I really want to be more involved but I came from a church that was all about jumping through hoops. If for whatever reason you had to take a season (like getting married or having a baby) to readjust your time, you would have to go through this whole hoop jumping process to get to where you felt called. So, I am not into looking good for anyone, I just want to serve. Put me in coach, I'm ready to play.

I know my new pastor really doesn't know me, so, I don't have any issue's with the church not mystically knowing  my gifts and asking me to use them. I just need to do something, whatever I sense God might be putting before me. 

Maybe, you are attending a church but are not really involved. Maybe you sense it is time to step up and just plain serve. Ok, let's pray that God opens our eyes to see the needs right before us and help us to just serve. 

Father, open our eyes and stretch out our hands to serve in your Name. Praise be to you in us today. 

THROUGH DISASTER AND FAMINE GOD IS FAITHFUL: Psalm 37:18-19

"The days of the blameless are known to the LORD,
     and their inheritance will endure forever.
 In times of disaster they will not wither;
     in days of famine they will enjoy plenty."
 Psalm 37:18-19

God knows. God knows every struggle, every heartache, every disaster and every famine that we go through. The truth is that not only does he know it now, he knew you would go through it before the foundations of the world. So, know that God knows all our struggles and is not surprised or caught off guard. 

Also, God is the One who makes us blameless. In I Corinthians 1:8 the Apostle Paul encourages us by declaring, "He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day our Lord Jesus Christ." Another time in Philippians 1:6 Paul says, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Hardships, trials, disasters and famine will come and go. But God's faithfulness and promise to keep us are eternal.

Father, help us to trust in you. Show us your faithfulness. Praise be to you in us today!