S E RV I N G G O D

An Examination of the Teaching of Scripture about

the Duty and Privilege of Serving God

F. Wayne Mac Leod

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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright
Preface
OUR MANDATE
1 - Creation’s Mandate
2 - The Law’s Mandate
3 - Salvation’s Mandate
OUR MINISTRY
4 - The Kingdom of God
5 - The Work of the Kingdom
OUR MOTIVATION
6 - The Glory of God
7 - The Love of God
8 - The Prize Set Before Us
OUR MEANS
9 - By My Spirit
10 - By Faith
11 - With Clean Hands and a Pure Heart
OUR METHOD
12 - How We Serve
About The Author

PREFACE

efore we begin, let me be honest with you. I have felt compelled

to do this study because of what I have been sensing in the body

of Christ. In our effort to attract people to the faith, we have

preached a Christ who lives to serve humankind. In some ways, the God of

Christianity has become a servant of humanity. Maybe you have met

individuals who have become angry with God because He did not do

something for them or give them what they wanted. I was listening recently

to a radio interview with a pastor who abandoned his faith because God did

not give him what he wanted. As a result, he no longer believes in God. I

have met people who do not want a God they have to serve. The God they

want is one who comes to their aid and gives them whatever they want in

life. This, however, is not the God of the Bible.

The God of the Bible, although full of grace and mercy, is a sovereign and

holy God. He is not only worthy of praise and adoration but deserving of

our devotion. We were created to bring Him honour through our lives and

deeds. Serving God is not only possible but a tremendous privilege. More

than this, however, it is our livelong mandate.

I have met believers whose whole focus in life has been on themselves.

There is a vast resource of unused spiritual gifts wasting away. The brief

time God has given us on this earth has been eaten away but worldly

concerns and pleasures. Our eyes have been blinded to the needs around us.

Our ears have been deafened to the tug of God’s Spirit to act.

It is not only those in need who miss out on the benefits God wants to get to

them through us. We, too, have sacrificed much. The greatest blessings of

the Christian live come through sacrifice. We experience the presence of

God in times of service in ways we cannot know by any other means. By

stepping out in faithful obedience, we see the work of God in and through

us and our faith is strengthened. If we are not serving, we are missing out

on some of the greatest blessings in the Christian life.

The goal of this study is to challenge believers to seek the Lord God in how

to serve Him and discover His purpose for their life on earth. It is my heart

to do all I can with the gifts and calling He has placed on my heart. I want

to stand before Him on that final day, and hear Him say, “Well done, good

and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). I cannot think of any higher purpose

in life than to live to hear those words. May this become your heart as well.

F. Wayne Mac Leod

OUR MANDATE

1 - CREATION’S

MANDATE

e begin this study with an examination of the story of creation.

Genesis 1:1-25 tells how God created the heavens and the

earth with all its creatures and vegetation. The account ends

with the creation of man. Man was different from the animals God made in

two important ways. We read in Genesis 1:26-28:

[26] Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our

likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea

and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and

over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on

the earth.” [27] So God created man in his own image, in the

image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

[28] And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful

and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have

dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the

heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

(Genesis 1)

First, notice that God created man in His image and likeness. While this is

not the subject of this study, suffice it to say that there was a special

connection between God and man that did not exist between the Creator

and the other living creatures in the garden. This connection was not so

much physical as it was in spirit and purpose. God created man with the

ability to communicate with Him. Genesis 3 recounts how God walked in

the garden and spoke with the man and his wife (Genesis 3:8-13). Adam

and Eve talked to God and enjoyed His presence in those early days.

Notice second, in Genesis 1:26-28, that Adam and Eve were distinguished

from other creatures not only by their ability to communicate with God but

also in the purpose God gave them in the garden. God commanded them to

multiply, subdue the earth, and have dominion over it (Genesis 1:28). While

the other creatures in the garden were also to be fruitful and multiply

(Genesis 1:22), Adam and Eve were to subdue and have dominion. This

placed them under a special obligation and privilege.

Genesis 2:15 clarifies this purpose of God:

[15] The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of

Eden to work it and keep it. (Genesis 2)

The act of subduing and having dominion is defined in Genesis 2:15 as

working and keeping. In other words, Adam and Eve were to till the soil

and care for the earth.

We catch a glimpse of the heart of God for the earth in the law of Moses

when He commanded:

[19] “When you besiege a city for a long time, making war

against it in order to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by

wielding an axe against them. You may eat from them, but you

shall not cut them down. Are the trees in the field human, that

they should be besieged by you? [20] Only the trees that you

know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down, that

you may build siegeworks against the city that makes war with

you, until it falls. (Deuteronomy 20:19-20)

The Lord desired that the earth continue to produce fruit for the blessing of

its inhabitants. His command through Moses was that soldiers respect this

and not destroy fruit trees in enemy territory.

God placed Adam and Eve in the garden to “work and keep” it. They were

created with a purpose. They were to care for the land God had given them

by encouraging its health and fruitfulness. God created man and woman to

serve Him and accomplish His purpose on the earth.

God repeated this command even after Adam and Eve fell into sin. To Eve

the Lord said:

[16] To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in

childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be

contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” (Genesis 3)

God’s purpose for Adam and Eve, even after sin entered the world, was to

multiply and fill the earth. The difficulty of this responsibility would

increase, and Eve would bear her children with great pain. God’s intention

for the earth, however, would remain.

God’s determination that Adam and Eve have dominion and subdue the

earth did not change with the entrance of sin into the garden. Speaking to

Adam in Genesis 3, the Lord said:

[17] And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the

voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I

commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground

because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your

life; [18] thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and

you shall eat the plants of the field. [19] By the sweat of your

face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of

it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall

return.” (Genesis 3)

God still required that Adam work and keep the earth. The only difference

was that the effort needed for this task would be significantly increased.

The ground was cursed by sin and would yield its fruit reluctantly. Thorns

and thistles would compete with vegetables and fruit. Adam would now be

required to work “by the sweat of his face” to obtain his food and subdue

the earth. The stories of creation and the fall show us that God created

humankind with a purpose. He gave to the first man and woman the task of

caring for the earth He had given them.

There are many implications to this creation mandate. Morally, it is our

responsibility to preserve and keep our bodies and minds lest they be

defiled by impurity or unhealthy patterns. Environmentally, we must do our

part in protecting the earth God has given us from pollution or

unsustainable ecological practices. Spiritually it means keeping our souls

from sin and evil influences. Socially, it requires caring for our loved ones

and the needy in our community.

Being faithful to this mandate will not be without its obstacles. God told

Adam that he would compete with thorns and thistles in his attempt to

subdue and keep the earth God had created for him. God holds us

responsible, however, for protecting, developing and keeping whatever He

had given us. We will stand before Him to give an account of our lives.

May He find us faithful.

Prayer:

Father God, I recognize that you created me with a purpose. Like Adam and

Eve, I have been placed on this earth to care for and cultivate what you

have given. Help me to be mindful of the many wonderful blessings I have

received from You. Show me how to use these blessings to honour your

name. Forgive me for not being faithful in fulfilling my creation mandate.

Set me free from a self-centred attitude that is more concerned with comfort

and personal benefit than my responsibility before you to protect and

develop what you have placed under my dominion.

2 - THE LAW’S MANDATE

n the last chapter, we examined the responsibility God gave man and

woman at creation. We move now to the Law of Moses, as found in

the Old Testament. The law also underscored the obligation of God’s

people toward their Creator. Listen to the words of Exodus 23:

[25] You shall serve the LORD your God, and he will bless

your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from

among you. (Exodus 23)

God commanded His people to serve Him. Notice the connection between

serving God and blessing in the life of the believer. God promised to bless

the bread and water of those who served Him. He repeats this promise in

Deuteronomy 11:

[8] “You shall therefore keep the whole commandment that I

command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and take

possession of the land that you are going over to possess, [9]

and that you may live long in the land that the LORD swore to

your fathers to give to them and to their offspring, a land

flowing with milk and honey. (Deuteronomy 11)

Strength for the people of God came not through their military, but by

obedience to the command of God and faithful service. If they served the

Lord faithfully, God would give them a land flowing with milk and honey.

The Lord went on to say:

[13] “And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I

command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to serve

him with all your heart and with all your soul, [14] he will give

the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later

rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your

oil. [15] And he will give grass in your fields for your livestock,

and you shall eat and be full. (Deuteronomy 11)

God promised His people that if they obeyed Him and served Him with all

their heart and soul, He would give them rain so that they would harvest

grain, wine and oil. Their livestock would graze freely in the abundant

supply of grass. The pathway to blessing for the people of God was faithful

service and obedience to God’s commandments.

It is important to note that serving God was not just a matter of following a

particular lifestyle. God required that service be from the heart.

[12] “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,

to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart

and with all your soul, [13] and to keep the commandments and

statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for

your good? (Deuteronomy 10)

Isaiah prophesied that God would judge those who honoured the Lord God

with their lips but not from their heart:

[13] And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with

their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are

far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by

men, [14] therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things

with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of

their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their

discerning men shall be hidden.” (Isaiah 29)

Moses tells us that those who did not serve the Lord with joyfulness and

gladness of heart would be severely punished:

[47] Because you did not serve the LORD your God with

joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of

all things, [48] therefore you shall serve your enemies whom

the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in

nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of

iron on your neck until he has destroyed you. (Deuteronomy 28)

If the people of God wanted to experience the fullness of God’s blessing,

they needed to serve Him with gladness of heart. There are blessings in the

Christian life that can only be experienced through joyful service. We have

already seen that serving God in a sinful world will mean sacrifice and

hardship at times, but every joyful effort will be rewarded.

The question we must now ask is this: What did serving God look like

under the Law of Moses? While it is not possible to examine all the

requirements of God in the Old Testament, I do believe it may be helpful to

get a general sense of the duty of God’s people at this time.

Religious Duty

Serving God in the Old Testament required observing the rules and

regulations set out in the Law of Moses. This included the observation of

the feasts and festivals of the Jewish faith:

[17] And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for

on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt.

Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your

generations, as a statute forever. (Exodus 12)

God’s people were not to neglect the celebration of the various ceremonies

established by God as recorded in the Law.

The Lord also required that His people live according to the standards He

had laid out for them in the Law of Moses.

[37] And you shall observe all my statutes and all my rules, and

do them: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19)

Serving God demanded a particular way of life. The people of Israel were

not to be like the nations around them. To serve God meant following His

purpose and walking in His ways, even when it was different from how

other people lived.

Social Obligations

Serving God went far beyond the celebration of feasts and ceremonial

duties. God’s law placed His people under an obligation to each other. It

required that they show love and respect to their fellow citizen:

[17] “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you

shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin

because of him. [18] You shall not take vengeance or bear a

grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love

your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19)

They were to demonstrate kindness and generosity toward a brother, sister,

or stranger in need:

[35] “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain

himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a

stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you. [36] Take

no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your

brother may live beside you. [37] You shall not lend him your

money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. (Leviticus

25)

Serving God demanded equal justice for all people:

[16] And I charged your judges at that time, ‘Hear the cases

between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man

and his brother or the alien who is with him. [17] You shall not

be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great

alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment

is God’s. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring

to me, and I will hear it.’ (Deuteronomy 1)

God expected that all who served Him demonstrate absolute integrity

toward one another.

[36] You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah,

and a just hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out

of the land of Egypt. (Leviticus 19)

When a brother’s possessions were misplaced, or his animals wandered off,

the servant of God would care for those animals and bring them back to

their rightful owner.

[22:1] “You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep going

astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your

brother. [2] And if he does not live near you and you do not

know who he is, you shall bring it home to your house, and it

shall stay with you until your brother seeks it. Then you shall

restore it to him. [3] And you shall do the same with his donkey

or with his garment, or with any lost thing of your brother’s,

which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it. [4] You

shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the

way and ignore them. You shall help him to lift them up again.

(Deuteronomy 22)

Those who served God needed to demonstrate concern for the safety and

well-being of their brothers and sisters:

[8] “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for

your roof, that you may not bring the guilt of blood upon your

house, if anyone should fall from it. (Deuteronomy 22)

They were to respect the dignity of the wrongdoer. Speaking of those who

were punished for wrongdoing, the Law of Moses stated:

[3] Forty stripes may be given him, but not more, lest, if one

should go on to beat him with more stripes than these, your

brother be degraded in your sight. (Deuteronomy 25)

The Law of Moses required that those who served God be respectful, just,

honest and compassionate in their relationship with those around them.

They would answer to God for any misrepresentation of His name.

Environmental Responsibilities

We saw in Genesis 2 that God gave Adam and Eve the responsibility to

work and keep the garden. The Old Testament law was no different. To

serve God under the Law of Moses demanded caring for and respecting the

earth God gave them.

We have already mentioned Deuteronomy 20:19-20 in this context.

[19] “When you besiege a city for a long time, making war

against it in order to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by

wielding an axe against them. You may eat from them, but you

shall not cut them down. Are the trees in the field human, that

they should be besieged by you? [20] Only the trees that you

know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down, that

you may build siegeworks against the city that makes war with

you, until it falls. (Deuteronomy 20)

Soldiers in the army of Israel were required to preserve all fruit trees in

enemy territory. They were to respect these trees as a source of food for the

inhabitants. They were not to cut them down or use them to build siege

towers against their enemies. This was out of respect for the purpose of God

for the tree and any survivors of the battle that might depend on it for food.

Consider the instruction of the Law of God regarding a person who found a

bird’s nest while looking for food:

[6] “If you come across a bird’s nest in any tree or on the

ground, with young ones or eggs and the mother sitting on the

young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the

young. [7] You shall let the mother go, but the young you may

take for yourself, that it may go well with you, and that you may

live long. (Deuteronomy 22)

If the person took the mother bird, the young would die for lack of care.

The people of God were not to allow these young to starve or be without

care.

This same compassion for animals is seen in the law of Deuteronomy 22:10

which forbade ploughing a field with an ox and a donkey yoked together:

[10] You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.

(Deuteronomy 22)

The ox is much stronger than the donkey would wear the donkey out. The

harnessing of these two very different animals together was cruel and

forbidden by God. Proverbs 12:10 summarizes these laws by saying:

[10] Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast,

but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. (Proverbs 12)

Serving God under the Law meant caring for the earth and the creatures

God gave Israel for food, work and enjoyment.

Personal And Community Health

Finally, the Law of Moses required caring for one’s own body. I do not have

space in this chapter to examine this in detail. Consider, however, the many

laws of God regarding what a person could or could not eat (see Leviticus

11). The purpose of these laws was to preserve the health of those who

belonged to God. Leviticus 13 goes into detail about diagnosing various

kinds of skin diseases. In some cases, the individuals were isolated from the

rest of the community to prevent infections from spreading to the

community. Deuteronomy 23 teaches God’s people about proper sanitation

techniques:

[13] And you shall have a trowel with your tools, and when you

sit down outside, you shall dig a hole with it and turn back and

cover up your excrement. [14] Because the LORD your God

walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and to give up

your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy, so

that he may not see anything indecent among you and turn

away from you. (Deuteronomy 23)

The Law of Moses contains regulations about washing and cleansing the

body. All these laws protected God’s people from an unhealthy environment

and unsanitary conditions.

Let me conclude with a statement about what the Old Testament law has to

say about the purpose of these rules and regulations.

Love And Gratitude To God

Listen to the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 11:

[1] “You shall therefore love the LORD your God and keep his charge, his

statutes, his rules, and his commandments always. [2] And consider today

(since I am not speaking to your children who have not known or seen it),

consider the discipline of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty

hand and his outstretched arm, [3] his signs and his deeds that he did in

Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and to all his land, [4] and what he did

to the army of Egypt, to their horses and to their chariots, how he made the

water of the Red Sea flow over them as they pursued after you, and how the

LORD has destroyed them to this day, (Deuteronomy 11)

Notice the connection between loving God and keeping his statutes, rules

and commandments in verse 1. God’s people served God out of love and

devotion to Him as their Lord. Notice also, however, that verses 2-4 remind

the people of Israel of the blessings of God on their nation over the years.

God had revealed His greatness to them. He had shown His mighty hand in

their favour by delivering them from the bondage of slavery. He opened the

Red Sea for them to cross on dry land, to escape the Egyptian army. God

cared for His people. The Law of Moses provided Israel with a way of

demonstrating their gratitude to God for what He had done for them as a

nation. Serving God is a way of saying thank you. A life lived in obedience

was Israel’s most significant act of worship.

Passing On Of Their Faith

A life of service to God was not only an act of worship but also a

significant means of passing on Israel’s faith to the next generation. Listen

to Exodus 12:24-27:

[24] You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your

sons forever. [25] And when you come to the land that the

LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this

service. [26] And when your children say to you, ‘What do you

mean by this service?’ [27] you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of

the LORD’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the

people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but

spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and

worshiped. (Exodus 12)

It was only natural that the children of Israel would ask their parents why

they lived the way they did. This provided an opportunity for the parents to

explain their faith and gratitude to God. As they offered sacrifices for their

sin, they had a chance to share with their children the grace of God in

pardoning their offences. As they feasted together at the time of the

Passover, they told the story of God’s deliverance from Egypt. As they

brought their offerings to the temple, they expressed and taught their

children the importance of gratitude to God. These stories and service

toward God illustrated the faith of Israel to their children. These children

saw that their parent’s relationship with God was not just words. It was a

sacrificial faith that joyously lived for the glory of God.

A Light To The Nations

While serving the Lord was a means of passing on the faith of the parents to

the children, it went much farther than this. Consider the words of Isaiah

42:6:

[6] “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by

the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light

for the nations, [7] to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the

prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

(Isaiah 42)

God called His people to righteousness. He showed them how to live by

means of His law. Notice why He did this— “I will give you as a covenant

for the people, a light for the nations.” It was the heart of God that Israel not

only pass on their faith to the next generation but also to the nations. He

called His people to a righteous life so that they could reflect His character

to the countries of the world. Notice that God desired to open the eyes of

the blind. He wanted to bring prisoners from their dungeons and bring light

to those who sat in darkness.

Isaiah 49:6 repeats this same thought:

[6] he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my

servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the

preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations,

that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah

49)

God intended that His salvation reach the ends of the earth. If God’s people

were going to be a light to the nations, they needed to be a righteous people.

They could only be the people He wanted them to be by living in obedience

to the Lord God and serving Him as He required.

Serving God requires obedience to His commands and statutes. It demands

a lifestyle guided and directed by the principles of His Word. God’s people

would not be like the world. Their standard of behaviour was based on the

Law of God. They observed this law and devoted their lives to serving God

as He commanded. As they did so, they showed God how grateful they

were for Him and His actions on their behalf. Their faithful service of God

was the primary means by which they passed on their faith not only to their

children but to the entire world. Those who watched Israel saw the sincerity

of their faith not by their words alone but by their joyful and dedicated

service of God.

Let me conclude with the words of Psalm 15:

[15:1] O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall

dwell on your holy hill? [2] He who walks blamelessly and

does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; [3] who does

not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor,

nor takes up a reproach against his friend; [4] in whose eyes a

vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the

LORD; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; [5]

who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a

bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall

never be moved. (Psalm 15)

The Psalmist asked an important question in Psalm 15: “Who shall sojourn

in your tent?” In other words, who will have fellowship with God. Who will

experience the blessing of knowing God personally? The answer comes in

verses 2-5. The person who experiences intimacy with God is one who

follows the Law of the Lord and serves the Lord “to his own hurt.” Joyful,

faithful, and sacrificial service is the pathway to blessing and intimacy with

God.

Prayer:

Father, I thank you for the way You laid out your requirements for your

people in the Old Testament Law. I recognize that this law required a

lifestyle that conflicted with the way the world lived. Make me willing to be

different from the world out of gratitude to You. May I not be ashamed to

be faithful to the Word of God, even when it brings me into conflict with

my culture. Help me to demonstrate my faith not just in words but also in

faithful obedience. May I show my faith to the world by how I live. May

my service be a witness to my children and the world around me. May they

see how serious I am about my relationship with You not just by what I say

but also by what I do and how I live and serve You.

3 - SALVATION’S

MANDATE

e were created to serve the Lord. The law of Moses outlined

how Israel was to do this. I would like to move now to the

New Testament. The New Testament tells us how Jesus

purchased our salvation at the cost of His life. It recounts how forgiveness

and new life are possible for all who accept Christ’s death on their behalf.

This wonderful salvation is summarized for us in John 3:16:

[16] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,

that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal

life. (John 3)

We could go into detail here about the privilege it is to be forgiven and to

know eternal life, but that would require the writing of another book.

Suffice it to say that while this salvation is free, it places us under a great

obligation. Listen to the words of Paul to the Corinthians:

[19] Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy

Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your

own, [20] for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in

your body. (1 Corinthians 6)

Those who know the salvation of the Lord have been “bought with a price.”

The Lord Jesus purchased us from sin and Satan at the cost of His life. We

who have been bought with a price no longer belong to ourselves, but to the

One who purchased us. He sealed this purchase with the person of the Holy

Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit in us gives us life, spiritual

understanding and empowerment. This has a significant implication for our

lives. Paul told the Corinthians that those who have been bought with a

price and indwelt by the Holy Spirit are now to “glorify God in their body.”

Let’s take a moment to reflect on what Paul is saying here. If I belong to

Christ, then life is not about what I want, but about Christ and His purpose.

This body in which I live belongs to the Lord Jesus. My mind, soul and

spirit are His. I do not have the right to do as I please with what does not

belong to me. It is for this reason that Paul challenged the Corinthians to

“glorify God in their body.”

How do we glorify God in our bodies? We do so in two ways.

First, we glorify God in our bodies by keeping them holy and pure. The

apostle Paul, writing to the Romans, said this:

[12:1] I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of

God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and

acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. [2] Do not

be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal

of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of

God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12)

The implication of our salvation is that we are to surrender our bodies “as

living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God.” We are under a spiritual

obligation to keep our bodies clean and free from all defilements of sin and

evil. We do so by keeping them in the purpose of God and by resisting the

sinful impulses and influences of this evil world. We must not allow them to

conform to the standards of this world but keep them in submission to the

purpose and will of the Lord God who owns them.

In John 16, Jesus told His disciples that when He returned to the Father, He

would send the Holy Spirit to them:

[7] Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage

that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come

to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. [8] And when he

comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and

righteousness and judgment: [9] concerning sin, because they

do not believe in me; [10] concerning righteousness, because I

go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; [11]

concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

[12] “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot

bear them now. [13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will

guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own

authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will

declare to you the things that are to come. [14] He will glorify

me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (John

16)

Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would convict of sin and

judgement and guide His people into truth. If we are going to glorify God in

our earthly bodies, we will need the conviction and guidance of the Holy

Spirit to teach us. He will enable us to bring glory to God in these bodies.

Second, we glorify God in our bodies by using them to serve God’s

purpose. Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 6 that their bodies were

now the temple of the Holy Spirit. He had come to seal the salvation of

Christ and to empower the believer in Christian life and service. Listen to

the words of the apostle in 1 Corinthians 12:

[7] To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the

common good. [8] For to one is given through the Spirit the

utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge

according to the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same

Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, [10] to

another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to

another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another

various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of

tongues. [11] All these are empowered by one and the same

Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. (1

Corinthians 12)

Notice what Paul told the Corinthians about the ministry of the Holy Spirit

in their lives. The Holy Spirit gives each person a unique “manifestation of

the Spirit.” This manifestation is for the common good of the church as the

body of Christ. Paul went on in the passage to explain the various

manifestations the Holy Spirit has given—wisdom, knowledge, faith,

healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, and the interpretation of

tongues. This is not an exhaustive list, but a sampling of the various gifts of

the Spirit given to the church. Notice that not everyone has been given the

same ability. One person is granted wisdom, and another is given faith.

Jesus told a story in Matthew 25 about a master who had three servants. The

master went on a journey and left the care of his property to his servants. To

one servant, the master entrusted five talents of money. To another, he

entrusted two talents. To the final servant, he committed one talent.

The servant who had five talents invested them and made another five

talents. The second servant also invested his two talents and earned another

two. The final servant was afraid to invest it and chose to bury his talent in

the ground for safekeeping. When the master returned, he demanded an

accounting from his servants. He commended the first and second servants

for wisely investing his money. Listen to the response of the master when

the servant who had only one talent told him what he did with it:

[26] But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful

servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather

where I scattered no seed? [27] Then you ought to have

invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should

have received what was my own with interest. [28] So take the

talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. [29]

For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have

an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has

will be taken away. (Matthew 25)

The master rebuked the unproductive servant. He told him that he had given

this money to him to invest and earn interest. Notice also, however, that the

master took the one talent he gave him and gave it to the servant who had

ten. Those who are faithful, Jesus says, will be given more. Those who do

not use what they have will lose what has been given to them.

How did the servants honour their master in this parable? They did so by

faithful service. They took the talents he gave them and increased his

wealth. This is our responsibility as believers who have been given a

manifestation of the Spirit. We are to use that gift to increase the fame and

glory of our Lord. This implies, overcoming our fear and stepping out in

faith. It means taking our God-given talents off the shelf and using them to

honour to His name.

Listen to the words of the master in Matthew 25 to the faithful servant:

[23] His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful

servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over

much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (Matthew 25)

Can you imagine the Lord Jesus speaking to you as you enter His presence

and saying: “Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of

your master”? Could there be any greater joy than to know that my life and

service brought glory to the one who saved me from sin?

The apostle Paul, as his life drew near the end had this to say:

[6] For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and

the time of my departure has come. [7] I have fought the good

fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8]

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,

which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that

day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his

appearing. (2 Timothy 5)

As his time on earth drew near its end, the apostle Paul looked back on a

life lived for Christ and said: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished

the race, I have kept the faith” (verse 7). Paul’s focus here was not just on

seeing the Lord but also on how he had lived his life for Christ. He knew

that he could face the Lord Jesus with all his sins forgiven, but he did not

want to stand before him like the man who had buried his talent. Paul

wanted to present his life to the Lord as one that had brought Him glory and

honour. He wanted to stand before the Lord as one who had fought a good

fight and finished the race marked out for him. He wanted to return his

Spirit-given gifts with interest. He wanted to hear the Lord say, “Well done,

good and faithful servant.”

Paul reminded the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 3 that their work and

service for the Lord would one day be judged:

[12] Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver,

precious stones, wood, hay, straw— [13] each one’s work will

become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be

revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each

one has done. [14] If the work that anyone has built on the

foundation survives, he will receive a reward. [15] If anyone’s

work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be

saved, but only as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3)

While our salvation is secure through the work of the Lord Jesus, we will

all have to give an account of our service for Christ. Paul told the

Corinthians that their efforts would be revealed by fire, and they would

suffer loss. He does not describe what that loss would be.

Jesus offered this warning to His listeners in Matthew 6:

[5] “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.

For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the

street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to

you, they have received their reward. (Matthew 6)

Notice that Jesus told those who wanted to be seen praying that there would

be no reward in heaven for them because they had already received their

reward. In other words, the reward they sought was the admiration of the

people around them. They would have this admiration at the cost of a

heavenly reward.

Jesus went on to say:

[19] “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where

moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,

[20] but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where

neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break

in and steal. [21] For where your treasure is, there your heart

will be also. (Matthew 6)

The believer, according to Jesus, is not to seek the riches of this world but

rather to lay up treasures in heaven. How easy it is for us to want a reward

for our service here and now. Let me be very personal for a moment. Over

the years, the Lord has opened the door for me to write a number of books.

These books have been translated into several languages. It is quite natural

for me to write with the expectation that these books will sell and bring in

money and recognition. This is not how this ministry has worked, however.

Well over ninety percent of my books are given away free. The small

amount that does come in through book sales is used to give more books

away. The Lord has shown me that my purpose is to spread the word of

God. My reward is not financial, nor is it in recognition, but rather the

privilege of sharing God’s Word with people around the world. I am to

invest in the kingdom of God through these books. I am to use the gifts He

has given and offer them freely to bring glory to His name. My reward is in

the fact that the gifts He has given bring Him glory.

What is our priority? Where is our treasure? Is it to be recognized and

rewarded in this life? Or is it to bring glory to God in our body? Will we

sacrifice all recognition or earthly reward that He might be glorified

through us?

We have been saved from sin through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He

purchased us at the cost of His own life. We do not belong to ourselves. He

has sealed this salvation with the presence of the Holy Spirit who lives in us

to purify and make us holy before Him. God’s Spirit changes us by

removing our selfish and sinful ways. The Holy Spirit also empowers us to

serve God in our bodies. It is the purpose of God to use us to be lights in

this world and bring glory to His name. This is why we have been saved.

God will hold us accountable for our service and the motivation behind our

service. He can hold us responsible because we no longer belong to

ourselves, but to Him. He has a purpose for our lives, and it is our

obligation and privilege to manage and care for the body and gifts he has

given us. May God give us the grace to be faithful servants of His property.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I thank you that you purchased my salvation at the cost of your

life. Teach me that because you have bought me, I no longer belong to

myself. Teach me to accept that I am not my own. Give me the grace to live

a pure and holy life in this body. May the life I live be a living sacrifice to

you. Thank you, Holy Spirit, that you have come to dwell in me and

manifest your power in a very personal way through me. I ask that you help

me to be a faithful steward of the gifts and power you have given so that

through me, the Triune God will be honoured and glorified. Father, I belong

to you, and all I have is yours. Forgive me for living as if I have a right to

do as I please. Teach me to live in your purpose and plan, knowing that this

is why I was created, and this is why I was saved.

OUR MINISTRY

4 - THE KINGDOM OF

GOD

he gifts God gives to the church are diverse. Those who come to

faith in the Lord Jesus are of different nationalities, cultures and

languages. No two Christians are alike. This diversity is also

reflected in the ministries the church undertakes. Examine the various

churches in your community. Each church has its way of worship and

outreach. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. While there are many

means to express our faith, there one central purpose for all true believers?

What is it that unites us in our faith and service of God?

As I examine the various passages of Scripture related to our ministry, there

is one central reoccurring theme that keeps coming to the surface. That

theme relates to the Kingdom of God. When Jesus taught His disciples to

pray, He began with the following request:

[9] Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be

your name. [10] Your kingdom come, your will be done, on

earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6)

The Lord Jesus taught His disciples to pray that the kingdom of God would

come and that His will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Before returning to the Father, the Lord Jesus issued a final command to

His disciples:

[18] And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven

and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go therefore and make

disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching

them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I

am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28)

Notice the connection between the prayer of Jesus in Matthew 6 and His

command in Matthew 28. Jesus told the disciples that He had all authority

in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). He received the authority to be the

undisputed king over a kingdom that would spread from heaven to all

corners of our planet. He asked His disciples to pray that this kingdom

would come and that His will be done on earth. For that to take place, He

directed His disciples to make disciples of all nations and teach them to

observe all that He had commanded them.

Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:18-19 was two-fold. First, the disciples

were to make disciples of all nations. They were to seek out those who

would follow the Lord Jesus and submit to Him as their King. Second, the

disciples were to teach these disciples what Jesus taught them. They were to

train them to live in submission to the Lordship of Christ.

Listen to the words of the Lord in Isaiah 42:

[6] “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will

take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a

covenant for the people, a light for the nations, [7] to open the

eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

from the prison those who sit in darkness. [8] I am the LORD;

that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to

carved idols. (Isaiah 42)

Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord reminded Israel that He was

Lord and King. As King, He called them to be a light to the nations. They

were to open the eyes of the nations to the Lord God of Israel and His

deliverance. They were to set the nations free from the darkness of sin and

bring them into an understanding of the one true God. Notice the reason for

this in verse 8—God would not give His glory to carved idols. In other

words, God wanted His people to seek out those who would submit to Him

as God and King and walk in obedience to His purpose. They were to do

this so that the Lord God of Israel would be honoured in heaven and earth.

Writing to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul said:

[18] All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to

himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; [19] that is,

in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not

counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the

message of reconciliation. [20] Therefore, we are ambassadors

for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you

on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5)

According to the apostle, the Lord Jesus has entrusted us with the message

of reconciliation. In other words, He has sent us to tell people that it is

possible to be in a right relationship with God through the work of the Lord

Jesus. We are ambassadors for Christ and His kingdom. Our task is to

implore people to be reconciled with God and His kingdom purposes.

The kingdom of God is not presently a physical kingdom. It is an invisible

realm of men and women who have come under submission to the Lord

Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. Jesus tells us that those who do the will of

the Father in heaven are part of this kingdom. It is the reign of Christ over

the hearts and minds of His servants.

[21] “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the

kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father

who is in heaven. (Matthew 7)

When asked by Pilate, if He was the king of the Jews, Jesus answered:

[36] Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my

kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been

fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my

kingdom is not from the world.” (John 18)

The kingdom of God is not political but a world-wide spiritual realm over

which Jesus Christ is absolute Lord and King. He rules in the hearts and

lives of people of all nationalities and languages. Together these individuals

bow the knee to Him in obedience and surrender.

While the kingdom of God is not visible to the human eye, this does not

mean that it is not evident in the lives of those who belong to it. When Jesus

was accused of doing miracles in the name of Satan, He declared:

[25] … “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and

no city or house divided against itself will stand. [26] And if

Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then

will his kingdom stand? [27] And if I cast out demons by

Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they

will be your judges. [28] But if it is by the Spirit of God that I

cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

(Matthew 12)

Jesus told His accusers that if He cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then

the kingdom of God was in their midst. In other words, the evidence of the

presence of God’s kingdom was in its power over evil and sin.

The disciples experienced this power in Luke 9 when Jesus sent them out in

His name.

[9:1] And he called the twelve together and gave them power

and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, [2] and he

sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.

(Luke 9)

Notice that the kingdom of God was proclaimed not just in words but also

in power over demons and diseases. The disciples of Jesus went from town

to town, both preaching and demonstrating the power of the kingdom of

God:

[8] Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what

is set before you. [9] Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The

kingdom of God has come near to you.’ (Luke 10)

The apostle Paul declared:

[20] For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in

power. (1 Corinthians 4)

The kingdom of God is powerful. It conquers sin and evil. It brings hearts

into submission to righteousness. Brokenness is healed as knees bow to the

King, confessing Him as Lord of all.

Not everyone who hears and sees demonstrations of the kingdom of God

will submit to its rule in their lives. Many will resist this kingdom and even

speak evil of it. Listen to what happened in Ephesus when Paul preached

about the Kingdom of God:

[8] And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke

boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of

God. [9] But when some became stubborn and continued in

unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he

withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning

daily in the hall of Tyrannus. (Acts 19)

There was resistance to the teaching of Paul about the Kingdom of God.

Many Ephesians not only rejected Paul’s teaching but actively resisted by

speaking evil of it. Those who proclaim the Kingdom of God must be ready

to suffer for it:

[5] This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you

may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which

you are also suffering— (2 Thessalonians 1)

Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to a fishing net in Matthew 13:

[47] “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was

thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. [48] When

it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the

good into containers but threw away the bad. [49] So it will be

at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the

evil from the righteous [50] and throw them into the fiery

furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of

teeth. (Matthew 13)

When the angler pulls in his or her net, it is full of various kinds of fish.

Some of those fish are good, but others are not. The fish must be sorted.

The good are kept, but the bad are thrown away. In churches around our

world, there are people who belong to the kingdom of God and those who

don’t. Outside the walls of these churches, we can also find those who

belong to the Kingdom of God. Jesus taught us that the day will come when

those who truly belong to Him will be revealed. In the meantime, the call of

God is to declare His kingdom and to seek out those who will submit to His

Lordship over that Kingdom. It is our great desire that men and women,

boys and girls around the world recognize Jesus as Lord, experience His

salvation and submit to His reign in their lives. We want His will to be done

on earth as it is in heaven. We want every knee to bow and confess Him as

Lord.

[9] Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him

the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of

Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under

the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is

Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2)

For Prayer:

Father God, thank you for your great purpose to bring all things into

submission to your Son Jesus Christ. Thank you that you are even now

expanding your kingdom in the hearts and lives of men and women around

the world. We want to bow in humble submission to you as our Lord and

King. We commit ourselves to walk in obedience to You and Your purpose.

I ask Lord that you would give us the grace to share the joy of being part of

this kingdom with others by our actions and words. Show us the power of

this kingdom to overcome evil in our own lives. Make this power evident in

our communities and churches as we surrender to your Lordship in our

lives. We pray for those in our circle who have resisted this kingdom and

ask that you would humble them under Your Lordship. Teach us to be

faithful servants of the kingdom of God so that you are honoured as King

and Lord of all.

5 - THE WORK OF THE

KINGDOM

t is the heart of God that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Jesus taught His disciples to pray that His kingdom would come to

earth to rule in the hearts and minds of all people. I want to take a

moment now to consider the work of the kingdom. What is involved in

building the kingdom of God on earth?

Evangelism

Any kingdom needs its subjects. Jesus tells us that it is not His will that any

should perish.

[14] So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one

of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18)

Eternal separation from God is a reality taught in Scripture. Jesus tells us

that He takes no delight in seeing men and women suffer the agony of this

separation. It is for this reason that He commissioned His disciples to go

into all the world to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God:

[15] And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim

the gospel to the whole creation. [16] Whoever believes and is

baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be

condemned. (Mark 16)

Jesus reminded His disciples in this passage that all who did not believe and

submit to His rule would be condemned. Before He returned to His father,

the Lord Jesus issued this command:

[19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing

them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy

Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have

commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end

of the age.” (Matthew 28)

It is the will of God that people from all nations be part of His Kingdom

and bow the knee to Him as their Sovereign King. He has a great purpose

for those who surrender. They will know the forgiveness of sin and eternal

life in His presence. There in His kingdom, sin and all its effects will be

broken. His subjects will experience fullness and satisfaction in the purpose

for which they were created.

There is grave danger for those who are outside this kingdom. God calls us

as ambassadors to represent Him and His purpose in this dark world. He

offers forgiveness and eternal life to all who will bow the knee in humble

submission to Him and His rule.

What does this evangelism look like? Listen to what Jesus told His disciples

in Matthew 5:

[14] “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot

be hidden. [15] Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a

basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. [16]

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they

may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is

in heaven. (Matthew 5)

We, who belong to the kingdom of God, are lights. We are to live our

Christian life before the world. We are not to be ashamed of the Kingdom

of God. Jesus challenges His people to shine so that people could see their

good works and glory the Father. In other words, we represent the kingdom

of God through our actions and lifestyle. Those who belong to Jesus are

different. Their hearts have been renewed, and they have the mind of Christ.

His Spirit leads them, and they experience the compassion of the Father for

those around them. Consider the words of the apostle James who wrote:

[14] What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith

but does not have works? Can that faith save him? [15] If a

brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,

[16] and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed

and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body,

what good is that? [17] So also faith by itself, if it does not

have works, is dead. (James 2)

The Lord God expects His servants to demonstrate their relationship with

Him by how they live. We shine the light of the kingdom when we reach

out in the love and compassion of Christ to those around us. If we are to be

effective in our evangelism, we need to let our lights shine so that people

see our good works. We evangelize when we live out our Christian life,

without shame or fear.

Living as those who belong to the kingdom of God will not be easy. Listen

to what Jesus told His disciples in John 3:

[19] And this is the judgment: the light has come into the

world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light

because their works were evil. [20] For everyone who does

wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest

his works should be exposed. (John 3)

Those who do not belong to the Kingdom of God hate the light. God’s

standards are offensive to those who do not accept Him as King. It is

apparent what our society enjoys. When your heart is not in submission to

God, the deeds of darkness are appealing. The standards of this world are in

opposition to the principles of the kingdom of God. When the believer

chooses to reject this world’s standards and proclaims allegiance to Christ,

the world reacts in anger. Living our lives by the principles of God’s

Kingdom will bring persecution. Listen to what the apostle Peter had to say

about this in 1 Peter 3:

[14] But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you

will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, [15] but

in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being

prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a

reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and

respect, [16] having a good conscience, so that, when you are

slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may

be put to shame. (1 Peter 3)

If you suffer for your righteous life, said Peter, do not fear but continue to

submit to the lordship of Christ in your hearts and live in obedience to Him.

Notice that the apostle also challenged his readers to be ready always to

give a defense to anyone who asked them for a reason for the hope in them.

Peter shows us that evangelism is not only living our lives as lights in our

community but also about being ready to speak about the hope we have to

all who are prepared to listen. Not everyone will listen to us, but we must

always be ready to share our faith with those who seek to understand the

hope we have in the Lord Jesus. Evangelism is not just about speaking and

preaching. It is about living out the faith we have and demonstrating the

heart of Christ in all we do. Our lives must first back up what we believe

before anyone will listen to the reason for our hope.

One of the greatest hindrances to evangelism today is the fact that

Christians are not demonstrating in their lives that they are genuine

followers of the Lord Jesus. Many who claim to be followers of King Jesus

live in subjection to the principles of this world. They have not been

transformed in character, heart and mind. They preach a message that they

themselves are not living. To be effective evangelists, people must see the

Lord Jesus in our lifestyle, heart and actions. Only when they see the

changes in us, will they be curious about our hope and the cause of that

change. The most effective evangelist is one who has been sincerely

transformed by the power of the kingdom of God. Our task as evangelists is

to love the Lord and honour Him in all we do. We are to live unashamedly

for Him and walk joyfully with Him. In doing so, our lights shine, and we

will have cause to share with others the hope we have in the Lord Jesus, our

King and Lord.

Exhortation And Encouragement

The second great work of the kingdom of God relates to exhortation and

encouragement. We have seen that those who do not belong to the kingdom

of God hate the light of God’s truth. We also know that the flesh in us longs

for the things of this world. Even believers are tempted by Satan and

wander off the path of righteousness. Struggles and temptations can

overwhelm and cause us to fall. It is for this reason that God calls us to

stand with each other in the work of the kingdom.

As the apostle Paul prayed for the church in Thessalonica, he felt his heart

overwhelmed with concern for them and their spiritual walk. Writing to

them in 1 Thessalonians 3 he says:

[3:1] Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were

willing to be left behind at Athens alone, [2] and we sent

Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of

Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, [3] that no one

be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we

are destined for this. (1 Thessalonians 3)

Understanding the challenges that lay before them, the apostle sent Timothy

to Thessalonica to exhort the believers to persevere in their faith. The word

translated “exhort” is the Greek word parakaléo, which means to come

alongside someone. The idea is that this individual was strengthened as a

result. To exhort involves more than words, although words are very

important. Timothy’s presence strengthened the Thessalonians and

reinforced areas of weakness. He helped them maintain their focus so that

they were not distracted by the afflictions they were enduring. Timothy’s

role was to challenge and strengthen the Thessalonians in their work for the

kingdom of God.

Writing personally to Timothy, the apostle Paul challenged him to preach

the Word, rebuke and exhort. He was to do this because the time was

coming when people would turn their back on the message of the Kingdom

of God:

[4:1] I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,

who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing

and his kingdom: [2] preach the word; be ready in season and

out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete

patience and teaching. [3] For the time is coming when people

will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they

will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own

passions, [4] and will turn away from listening to the truth and

wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4)

Paul would also challenge Titus to exhort and rebuke with all authority:

[15] Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority.

Let no one disregard you. (Titus 2)

Hebrews 3 encourages all believers to exhort one another so that no one

falls away from the Living God:

[12] Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil,

unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

[13] But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called

“today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness

of sin. (Hebrews 3)

It is our responsibility to watch over each other and warn any who are

wandering from the principles of the kingdom. We are to do so, recognizing

that we too could find ourselves straying and in need of a gentle rebuke.

We are not in this battle alone. We watch out for each other and warn one

another of danger. We come alongside a brother or sister who seems to be

faltering and offer them a word of advice or a helping hand to keep their

feet on the path of righteousness and their eyes on the Lord Jesus.

The great enemy to this ministry of exhortation is pride and self-

centeredness. It is all too easy to see a brother fall and secretly feel superior

to him. We need to understand that when one person falls, the kingdom of

God suffers for it.

Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15. What is most striking

about this parable is the tender heart of the shepherd, who discovered that

one of his sheep had wandered off. He did everything in his power to

restore that sheep and bring it back to the fold. The fold would not be the

same without that one lost sheep.

In the work of the Kingdom of God, we cannot focus on ourselves. There

are brothers and sisters like the lost sheep of Jesus’ parable. Some of them

have wandered from true doctrine. They need to be instructed in the way of

the truth and rescued from false teachers. Others have been overcome by

temptations and sin. They need to be exhorted to repent and return to the

principles of God’s Word. Still, others are overwhelmed by the weight of

rejection from other sheep. In this case, the church needs to be urged to love

and compassion so that this sheep can be restored. Brothers and sisters need

to be exhorted to mend broken relationships and put aside differences.

Listen to the words of Jesus in Matthew 12:

[25] Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom

divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided

against itself will stand. (Matthew 12)

If the kingdom of God is going to advance, we must stand together as

brothers and sisters. We must watch out for each other and exhort one

another to faithful service. We must challenge each other to obedience and

sincerity of heart. We must rebuke one another in love when this is

necessary. All this is so that we can continue to work together in love and

harmony for the sake of the kingdom of God. We must also be humble

enough to receive the encouragement of God’s servants who find us in a

moment of weakness.

Closely related to this role of exhortation is the ministry of encouragement.

[14] And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage

the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. (1

Thessalonians 5)

Paul challenged the Thessalonians to encourage the fainthearted. This

encouragement can come in many different forms. It can be in words of

comfort and reassurance or deeds of kindness and support. To encourage is

to restore the courage of a brother or sister who has been overcome. At

times this may mean taking their hand and walking with them through the

trials they face. It might mean sitting with them in silence as they grieve or

caring for their practical needs in time of illness.

Occasionally battle seems too much for us to handle on our own. We need

the courage of someone else to support us. We need their comfort and

blessing as we stand against the forces of evil and endure the opposition of

the enemy.

The ministry of exhortation and encouragement manifests itself in different

forms. It can come in a simple conversation between brothers or sisters or

the message delivered from the pulpit on Sunday. It might take place at a

coffee shop or a work project where believers share and challenge one

another to walk in deeper obedience and faith. It may require bearing part

of the load a brother or sister carries by taking on some of their

responsibilities for a time to help them through their struggle. As each

believer is strengthened by this exhortation and encouragement, the

kingdom of God is built up, and the Lord God is honoured. This ministry,

however, demands dying to our pride and self-centredness and genuinely

seeking the good of our kingdom brothers and sisters.

Expelling The Effects Of Sin And Evil

The final responsibility we have as servants of the kingdom of God is to

bring healing from the effects of sin and evil. What are the results of sin in

this world? The first thing we think about is our spiritual lostness without

the forgiveness of Christ. This is the most serious effect of sin in our lives

but not the only one. When sin entered the Garden of Eden, it brought pain

and suffering. The ground reluctantly gave up its fruit. Adam had to work

painfully to tame the earth so that it produced it’s crop. He returned home

with aches and pains in his body every evening. His wife gave birth to

children with suffering. Pain and suffering were the fruit of sin.

Beyond this, however, we read about Cain killing his brother Abel in a

jealous rage. This was only the beginning of brokenness in relationships.

Lust and greed would capture the hearts of men and women, breaking

families and unleashing a storm of sexual and emotional abuse. Men and

women would lie, harm and slander to get ahead of another human being.

Sickness and disease would ravish the land, killing millions of people

prematurely every year. Demonic forces would be unleashed upon the earth

to wreak havoc in societies. We could go on, but the point is made. Sin has

devastated the world and brought brokenness, sickness and oppression.

The Lord Jesus healed the sick, restored relationships, and set people free

from the oppression of Satan. The work of the kingdom is not just about

evangelizing the lost and disciplining the found; it is also about caring for

every human being God has placed on this earth, whether they ever come to

Him or not. Consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:

[44] But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those

who persecute you, [45] so that you may be sons of your Father

who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on

the good,and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew

In these words, the Lord Jesus challenges us to love those who persecute us.

Notice the reason for this in verse 45. God makes His sun to rise on the evil

and the good and sends rain for both the just and the unjust. In other words,

the blessing of God is for all people, even those who defy Him.

In Luke 17, we read the story about the healing of ten lepers. Only one of

those lepers came back to thank Him. Jesus healed them all, even though

they would never come to Him and recognize Him as Lord and Saviour.

This shows us that the work of the kingdom of God is beyond the walls of

the church.

Listen to the words of the apostle James:

[27] Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father

is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to

keep oneself unstained from the world. (James 1)

For James, pure faith involved visiting orphans and widows in their distress.

To visit, in this context, is not just a social call. The background of the book

of James relates to serving and putting action to our faith. To visit in this

sense has to do with caring for and ministering to these orphans and widows

in their need.

In Galatians 2, Paul recounts how he, Barnabas and Titus went up to

Jerusalem to meet with the leaders of the church. They were concerned

about the teaching that Gentile believers needed to be circumcised. As they

discussed this with the church leaders, the decision was reached that

circumcision was unnecessary and that as Paul preached the gospel in the

Gentile world, this would not be an obligation for those who came to Christ.

The leaders of the church in Jerusalem, however, did challenge Paul in one

specific area of ministry:

[10] Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I

was eager to do. (Galatians 2)

The work of the kingdom of God, according to Paul, involved remembering

the poor and needy. The early church felt so strongly about this ministry

that it was willing to sell what they had to provide for the needy among

them (see Acts 2:45).

When the Lord Jesus sent out His disciples in Matthew 10 He gave them

this commission:

[5] These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere

among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, [6]

but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [7] And

proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at

hand.’ [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out

demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

(Matthew 10)

As they preached that the kingdom of God was at hand, the disciples were

to demonstrate its power by healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing

lepers and casting out demons. This power over the effects of evil in society

revealed the presence of God as Lord of the kingdom. These disciples were

commissioned by the Lord Jesus to drive back the forces of evil and its

effects in their society.

The work of the kingdom of God involves the promotion of justice and

healing from the abuses afflicted by evil and sin. It includes the restoring of

relationships between brothers and sisters and relief from poverty and

sickness. The kingdom of God is advanced when the demonic forces of

Satan are expelled, and their chains broken in individual lives.

Creation, the law and the gospel all call us to be ministers of the kingdom

of God. As servants of this kingdom, we make our mark by evangelizing

the lost, encouraging the found and expelling the effects of sin and evil in

this world.

For Prayer:

Father, you have called us to be evangelists in this world. We ask that you

would help us first demonstrate the power of the kingdom of God in our

lives. We ask for forgiveness for the times we have preached a gospel that

we are not living. We ask that our lights would so shine that people would

have cause to ask us about the hope and life we have in us. Help us not to

be ashamed of the gospel.

We also know Lord God, the darkness of the world in which we live. We

see the weakness of our flesh and its temptations. Give us the grace to stand

with each other in this battle for the kingdom of God. May we speak words

of encouragement to each other. May we willingly bear the burden of our

brother and sister in Christ. Help us to understand that the kingdom of God

is not built on the efforts of one person alone but through the diverse

ministry of every believer. Teach me to bless my brother. Show me the

needs of my sister, and may I have the humility to stand with them in their

weakness so that together we are stronger in You.

Give me eyes to see the needs around me. Give me compassion to reach out

in your name to those needs. May I be an instrument in your hands to push

back the effects of sin and evil in my society. Help me to live not only for

myself and my comfort but to willingly sacrifice whatever it takes so that

Your kingdom is demonstrated through my life, and Your name is greatly

honoured in my society.

OUR MOTIVATION

6 - THE GLORY OF GOD

aving examined our mandate and ministry as believers in the first

two sections of this study, I want to take some time in this next

section to explore the motivation behind our service. Consider

the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 6:

[1] “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other

people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no

reward from your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 6)

Jesus is clear in what He told His listeners that day. If our motivation in

ministry is to be noticed, then we will receive no reward from God. God is

not pleased with selfish motives in service and will not reward any service

inspired by this intent.

We see from this that our motivation in the service of God is important.

What should be our ambition in serving God? In this chapter, I would like

to look at the first of several honourable intentions behind our service of

God—the glory of His name.

Writing to the Romans, the apostle Paul had this to say:

[23] You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the

law. [24] For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed

among the Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2)

Notice what the apostle said in Romans 2:23. He told the Romans that

because they broke the law of God, the name of God was blasphemed

among the Gentiles. When we as believers choose to walk in the ways of

the world to please our flesh, the unbeliever takes note. The apostle Paul

told the Corinthians that they were ambassadors for Christ:

[20] Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his

appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be

reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5)

An ambassador must be a faithful representative of his or her king.

Ambassadors act on behalf of their country. It is of utmost importance that

an ambassador accurately embodies the will and purpose of their country.

What does the world see when it watches the behaviour of those who claim

to represent God’s name? Do they see division and immorality in our

midst? Do they hear us grumbling and complaining like everyone else? As

ambassadors for Christ, we represent His name. We who claim to have a

new life in Christ, do we live in the fullness of that new life? We who claim

to belong to the Kingdom of God, do we demonstrate the power of that

kingdom to change lives? We are what the world sees of the Kingdom of

God. What is their opinion of God from what they see in us? Do our lives

cause them to curse and mock His name, or do they stand back in

admiration of the grace and power of the God we serve?

It is for this reason that the apostle Paul challenged the Corinthians to keep

the glory of God in mind in everything they did:

[31] So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to

the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10)

The honour of God must be central in their minds and actions, even in the

most ordinary activities of the day. God must be in what we eat or drink.

Every effort and thought of the day are to have the glory of God as its

primary motivation.

Speaking to the Christian slaves of his day, Paul said:

[22] Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your

earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers,

but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. [23] Whatever you

do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, [24]

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as

your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3)

Notice how the apostle Paul encouraged slaves to serve their earthly

masters with sincerity of heart, fearing God. They were to work “heartily”

for the Lord in the service of their masters. Some of these slaved belonged

to masters who were not fair or just. Even in these situations, however, the

Christian slave was to see it as his or her responsibility to be faithful, honest

and hard-working. They were to make it their goal to serve the Lord and

honour Him in even in the harsh service of their earthly masters.

Have you ever been mistreated at your workplace? Have you ever had to do

a job that was demeaning or difficult? What was your attitude? Did you

serve with dignity and respect for your earthly boss? Did you represent the

Lord well in the task given to you? Did people see the joy of the Lord as

you carried out your responsibilities? Did they wonder where the peace and

contentment came from as you performed these unpleasant tasks? Every

task, no matter how difficult it may be, is an opportunity for us to represent

the Lord God before the watching eye of those around us. Our call is to

bring glory to our God in whatever circumstance He places us.

These verses tell us that God must be part of everything we do. This is the

difference between a believer and an unbeliever. The believer serves God in

every task given to Him. The Christian sees every responsibility before him

or her as a God-given opportunity to represent Him and bring honour and

glory to His name.

The apostle Peter challenged his readers by saying:

[12] Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that

when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your

good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. (1 Peter 2)

We are to live in this world in such a way that people will see our good

deeds and glorify God. We must represent our Lord well in what we do,

how we live, and what we say. We do this so that His name is held in high

regard by those who see Him in us.

Peter encouraged believers to recognize and step out in the strength and

wisdom of God:

[11] whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God;

whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God

supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified

through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion

forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4)

The one who speaks must do so as one who brings the words of God. Those

who serve must serve in the strength God supplies. I am often surprised by

how often we take the credit for the wisdom and leading of God in our

lives. We pray for the Lord’s healing and give credit to the doctors when

that healing takes place. We cry out for wisdom and praise ourselves for the

ideas we had that proved successful. Where is God in all this? Does He

receive glory for the power, wisdom, and grace He has given, or will we

take credit for this ourselves?

If the glory of God is our motivation, we must be aware of His provision.

We must understand that the strength and wisdom to carry out these tasks

come from Him. As we stand at the finish line of a race well run, will we

congratulate ourselves for a job well done, or will we fall on our faces in

humble thanksgiving to God for what He has done through us?

Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord challenged His people to go

in His name and proclaim liberty to those who were lost in darkness:

[61:1] The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the

LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has

sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the

captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

[2] to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of

vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; [3] to grant

to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful

headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of

mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that

they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the

LORD, that he may be glorified. (Isaiah 61)

Notice in this passage the nature of the ministry to which we are called. We

are to preach good news to the poor. We are to care for the broken-hearted.

Captives are to be set free, and those who mourn are to be comforted.

Notice also the reason we are to engage in this ministry in verse 3—"that he

may be glorified.” We minister in the name of Jesus, caring for those in

need so that our Lord may receive the glory. This was also the teaching of

Jesus in John 15 when He said:

[8] By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and

so prove to be my disciples. (John 15)

The apostle Paul commended the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 9 for their

generosity toward the saints.

[10] He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will

supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the

harvest of your righteousness. [11] You will be enriched in

every way to be generous in every way, which through us will

produce thanksgiving to God. [12] For the ministry of this

service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also

overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. [13] By their

approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your

submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of

Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for

all others, (2 Corinthians 9)

What is of interest to us here in this passage is the teaching of Paul

regarding the generosity of the Corinthians. In 2 Corinthians 9:12, Paul told

them that this ministry not only supplied the needs of the saints but also

overflowed in thanksgiving to God. In other words, these saints praised God

for His provision through the Corinthians. Paul told the Corinthians that the

result of their generosity was that these saints “will glorify God because of

your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ,

and the generosity of your contribution.” Their contribution resulted in

God’s people glorifying His name.

Listen to the prayer of the apostle Paul for the Thessalonians in 2

Thessalonians 1:

[11] To this end we always pray for you, that our God may

make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for

good and every work of faith by his power, [12] so that the

name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in

him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus

Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1)

Paul prayed that the Lord God would make the Thessalonians worthy to

fulfil His calling on their lives to good works of faith so that the name of

the Lord Jesus would be glorified in them.

While there are other verses we could examine in this context, what we

have seen so far is sufficient to show us that the motivation for our ministry

needs to be the glory of God. We do not serve to receive praise for

ourselves, or for any other selfish motive. We serve so that the name of God

may be lifted high. We serve so that others may understand that our God is

the one true God, worthy of praise and honour. We represent this God in

every deed and word spoken. All that we do must have the glory of God as

its intention and motivation. Nothing short of this is worthy of His name.

For Prayer:

Lord God, forgive me for the times I have served You to be noticed. Strip

away all desire for human praise and recognition so that all honour goes to

You. Forgive me for the times I have misrepresented Your name by my

foolish and fleshly ways. Teach me to be a faithful ambassador for You and

Your cause. Help me to glorify You in even the smallest details of my life

so that everything I do is an opportunity to bring honour to your name. I ask

that even in the difficulties and trials of this life, my goal and ambition

would be to please You and demonstrated Your grace in me. I pray that You

give me the wisdom and strength necessary to step out in faith and good

works so that the world will see You and the beauty of Your name.

7 - THE LOVE OF GOD

he Bible teaches that the second motive in serving God is love.

The apostle John has much to say about this in his epistles.

According to him, one of the clear evidences of our salvation is

our love for our brothers and sisters:

[14] We know that we have passed out of death into life,

because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in

death. (1 John 3)

He goes on to say that anyone who does not love, does not know God:

[7] Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and

whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. [8]

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is

love. (1 John 4)

It was John’s firm belief that if anyone loved God, they would also love

their brother and sister in Christ.

[20] If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a

liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen

cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4)

What John is teaching is this: If God, who is a God of love (1 John 4:8),

lives in us, we will reflect His character in what we do. When the Lord God

lives in an individual, that person is moved by His love to reach out in

compassion and concern for those around them.

The apostle Paul put it this way:

[14] For the love of Christ controls us, because we have

concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have

died; [15] and he died for all, that those who live might no

longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died

and was raised. (2 Corinthians 5)

According to Paul, the love of Christ controls us. It is the motivation behind

our actions. This love of God moves and motivates us to reach out to our

brothers and sisters in need. Listen again to the words of the apostle John:

[16] By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and

we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. [17] But if

anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet

closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

[18] Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed

and in truth. (1 John 3)

The Lord Jesus demonstrated His love for us but laying down His life on

the cross. The love of Christ in us is sacrificial. It is a love that cannot stand

by and watch a brother or sister in need when it has the means to ease that

suffering. If we close our hearts to the needs around us, how can we say that

the love of God dwells in us? The love of Christ compels us to action.

Jesus taught His disciples that they were to love each other just as He loved

them. He told them that the sign that they belonged to Him was their love

for one another.

[34] A new commandment I give to you, that you love one

another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one

another. [35] By this all people will know that you are my

disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13)

The love of Christ in the believer is so strong that it compels him or her to

willingly lay down their lives for each other, just as He Christ did for them:

[12] “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I

have loved you. [13] Greater love has no one than this, that

someone lay down his life for his friends. [14] You are my

friends if you do what I command you. (John 15)

This sacrificial love was not just for a brother or sister in Christ but

extended to neighbours as well. Jesus taught that all who belonged to Him

were to love their neighbour as much as they loved themselves.

[19] Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your

neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 19)

When we are hungry, we feed ourselves. When we are sick, we care for

ourselves. When we are tired, we rest. If we love our neighbours as

ourselves, we will do the same for them. We will be motivated by the love

of God to ease their pain.

The love of God motivates us to care even for our enemies. Jesus reminded

His disciples that His Father blessed both the just and the unjust:

[43] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your

neighbor and hate your enemy.’ [44] But I say to you, Love

your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45] so

that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he

makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain

on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5)

If the love of God is in us, we will not show partiality. We will love both

our friends and our enemies with the same love. We will show compassion

to our enemies when they are in need. The love of God will inspire us to

reach out to the needs of even our worst enemies. The apostle James makes

this clear in James 2 when he says:

[8] If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture,

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

[9] But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are

convicted by the law as transgressors. (James 2)

Loving and caring for our enemy is not something that comes naturally for

us. The only way we can genuinely love those who oppose us is if the love

of God constrains us to do so. It is the love of God that moves us to care for

those who seek our ill. We stand back, amazed at what we see. We know

that this demonstration of compassion is not from our flesh, but the love of

God in us, motivating us to care for those who have offended and abused

us.

In John 17, the Lord Jesus prayed:

[26] I made known to them your name, and I will continue to

make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may

be in them, and I in them.” (John 17)

Notice the desire of the Lord Jesus in this prayer. He wanted His followers

to experience the love the Father had for Him. He wanted that same love to

be in them. It was His prayer that the love of the Father would fill His

disciples. It was this love that would motivate them to reach out to the

world. It was this love that would make them willing to lay down their lives

for the sake of the kingdom of God.

Before going to the cross, the Lord Jesus told Simon Peter that he would

deny Him three times. We have a record of the conversation that Jesus had

with Peter after this event in John 21:

[15] When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon

Peter, “Simon, son of John, 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.” [16] He said to him a second time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes,

Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my

sheep.” [17] He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of

John, 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 everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus

said to him, “Feed my sheep. (John 21)

Notice that Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him three times. When Peter told

the Lord that he did love Him, Jesus’ response was to say: “Feed my

lambs.” There is a connection between loving God and caring for those who

belong to Him. We care because the love of God is in us. We demonstrated

compassion because that love moves us to do so. Jesus was showing Peter

that love for Christ was the motivation behind caring for the flock.

Understanding the importance of love as a motivation, the apostle Paul said:

[3] If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be

burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13)

He also told the Corinthians that they were to do all things from this

motivation of love:

[14] Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16)

Writing to the Galatians who struggled with whether a believer should be

circumcised or not, Paul said:

[6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor

uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working

through love. (Galatians 5)

Paul taught the Galatians that what was most important was not whether a

believer needed to be circumcised or not but rather faith expressing itself

through love. He challenged the Philippians in the same way when he

wrote:

[2:1] So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort

from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and

sympathy, [2] complete my joy by being of the same mind,

having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. [3]

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility

count others more significant than yourselves. [4] Let each of

you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests

of others. [5] Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours

in Christ Jesus, [6] who, though he was in the form of God, did

not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but

emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in

the likeness of men. [8] And being found in human form, he

humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,

even death on a cross. (Philippians 2)

The apostle told the Philippians that if they found any comfort in the love of

Christ themselves, they were to demonstrate that same love to one another.

He urged them to banish selfishness and pride from their lives so that they

could follow the example of Christ in sacrificial love for each other. Paul

challenged the Ephesians to do the same when he wrote:

[5:1] Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. [2]

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us,

a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5)

Paul commended the Thessalonians for their “labour of love” (1

Thessalonians 1:3) and reminded them that it was God who had taught them

to love in this way:

[9] Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for

anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by

God to love one another, [10] for that indeed is what you are

doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge

you, brothers, to do this more and more, (1 Thessalonians 4)

Paul told that Romans that by loving one another, they would fulfil the law:

[8] Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one

who loves another has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13)

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He responded

by saying that it was to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind, and

to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40). He went on to say

that all the law of God could be summarized by this great principle of

loving God and one’s neighbour.

This motivation of love affects every aspect of relationships. In Romans 14,

the apostle speaks about his freedom not to practice the dietary laws of

Moses:

[14] I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is

unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it

unclean. [15] For if your brother is grieved by what you eat,

you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not

destroy the one for whom Christ died. [16] So do not let what

you regard as good be spoken of as evil. (Romans 14)

While Paul felt no obligation to follow the dietary laws of Moses, he

challenged believers to be sensitive to those who might be offended if they

ate unclean food in front of them. He told them that if a brother or sister

was grieved because of what they did, they were not walking in love. True

love motivates us to sacrifice our freedoms if, by their practice, we offend

another.

Paul pleaded with the Romans in Romans 15 “by the love of the Spirit,” to

strive with him in prayer so that he would be delivered from unbelievers in

Judea:

[30] I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by

the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers

to God on my behalf, [31] that I may be delivered from the

unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be

acceptable to the saints, [32] so that by God’s will I may come

to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. (Romans 15)

Notice the expression “by the love of the Spirit,” in this passage. The love

Paul speaks about was not fleshly. It was the love of God that was

motivating believers to cry out to God for Paul’s deliverance.

Believers differ from one another in many ways. There will be clashes of

personality and understanding of Scripture. Because we are sinners, we will

offend one another in word and deed. What keeps us unified in the work of

the kingdom? Paul tells us that it is the love of God in us:

[12] Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,

compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and

patience, [13] bearing with one another and, if one has a

complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord

has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. [14] And above all

these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect

harmony. (Colossians 3)

Love, according to Paul, bound everything together in “perfect harmony.”

Without the love of Christ in our hearts, our efforts and hearts will be

divided. It is love for one another that allows us to maintain the unity of the

body of Christ.

The apostle Peter told his readers to love one another earnestly because love

covered a multitude of sins:

[8] Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love

covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4)

While there are different ways of understanding what Peter is saying here,

one thing is clear. If we love one another, we will put aside our differences

and past hurts. I have met people who cannot cover the offences of the past.

They are unable to forgive a brother or sister for something they did to them

years ago. Peter tells us, in this verse, however, that the love of Christ in us

is a pardoning love. It covers all sin and offence. It will no longer hold

people hostage to their offences. It will forgive, forget and love

unconditionally. It is the love of Christ in us that moves us to forgive and

walk in harmony with our brother or sister.

The kingdom of God grows as believers learn to love each other and their

society with the love of Christ. Paul told the Ephesians that they were to

speak the truth in love so that they would grow un in every way:

[15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in

every way into him who is the head, into Christ, [16] from

whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint

with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly,

makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

(Ephesians 4)

According to Paul, in this passage, the body builds itself up in love. Where

there is love in the body of Christ, the church is built up in maturity, service

and testimony.

The writer to the Hebrews challenged his readers to stir one another to love

and to good works.

[24] And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and

good works, (Hebrews 10)

He reminded them that God would not overlook the love they showed for

his name in serving one another:

[10] For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the

love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as

you still do. (Hebrews 10)

There are many other passages of Scripture that speak to this motivation of

love. What we have examined here, however, suffices to show us that our

service of God must be motivated by love. The love we speak of is not a

fleshly love but the love of God that has been put in our hearts through the

work of God’s Spirit. The Father demonstrated this love to us when He

willingly sacrificed His Son. It was revealed in the Son as He laid down His

life on the cross. It is cultivated in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. This love

moves us to sacrifice, deny ourselves and genuinely care for one another. It

motivates us to forgive offences of the past and overlook differences for the

sake of greater unity in the body of Christ. Those who experience the love

of Christ cannot sit idly by if their brother and sister suffer want. It will

strive for unity and harmony in the body. The love of Christ compels us to

forgive and serve sacrificially. It is a powerful motivator in our service of

the kingdom of God.

For Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to thank you for the love You demonstrated to me when

You laid down Your life on the cross of Calvary. You tell us that there can

be no greater demonstration of love than for someone to lay down his or her

life for another. I thank You Holy Spirit that you have placed this kind of

love in all who belong to Jesus. I ask that You teach me to walk in this love.

Forgive me for the times I have chosen not to listen to the voice of love. I

pray that Your love would control all I do and say. I ask for the grace to

surrender all to this love. I pray that I would be motivated by the love of

Christ in me to care for and bless my brothers, sisters, friends and even my

enemies. May I prove the love of Christ is in me by my actions and words.

May all I do be motivated by the love of Christ in me.

8 - THE PRIZE SET

BEFORE US

he final motivation I want to examine may seem selfish, but it is

nonetheless taught in Scripture. This motivation relates to our

reward for faithful service. Let’s begin with the teaching of Jesus.

Listen to the words of the Lord as recorded in Luke 12:

[32] “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure

to give you the kingdom. [33] Sell your possessions, and give to

the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow

old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no

thief approaches and no moth destroys. [34] For where your

treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Luke 12)

According to the Lord Jesus, it was the “good pleasure” of the Father to

reward His servants by giving them the kingdom. He challenged His flock

to live with a focus on that kingdom. They were to sell their worldly

possessions and look forward to their treasure in heaven. In other words,

their delight was not to be on their earthly treasures, but their great reward

in heaven. Jesus would go on in Matthew 6 to tell His listeners that not only

were they to look forward to their heavenly blessings but as they lived their

lives on this earth, they were to seek to increase that eternal blessing:

[19] “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where

moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,

[20] but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where

neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break

in and steal. (Matthew 6)

God’s servants are to “lay up for themselves treasures in heaven.” The

phrase, “lay up for yourselves” indicates that this is something that every

servant of God was to do for themselves. Jesus expects that each follower

increase their eternal reward by how they live and serve on this earth.

Jesus set an example for us to follow. According to Hebrews 12, He

endured the trials of this life because of the joyous reward that was set

before Him:

[12:1] Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud

of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which

clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is

set before us, [2] looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of

our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the

cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of

the throne of God. (Hebrews 12)

What was the joyous reward set before Jesus? Was it not the salvation of

His people and the praise He would receive from them? Was it not in the

fact that by His faithfulness, He would be seated at the right hand of the

Father in heaven? These blessings motivated Jesus to endure the shame and

painful trials of the cross.

Similarly, the Lord taught His disciples to rejoice in their suffering but

reminding them of the reward that was to come for those who persevered:

[11] Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you

and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

[12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven,

for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

(Matthew 5)

The followers of Jesus could experience joy in persecution because they

knew that the Lord God saw their pain and would reward them for their

faithfulness. This reward would not only be a motivation to persevere but a

tremendous source of joy and rejoicing in their service. Jesus sets our

reward before us as a motivation to continue in service when life becomes

difficult. He reminded His disciples that no service for Him would be

unrewarded:

[40] “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives

me receives him who sent me. [41] The one who receives a

prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward,

and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a

righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. [42]

And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold

water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no

means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10)

In Luke 19, Jesus told a parable about a man who went on a journey and

gave responsibilities to his servants to care for his possessions while He

was away. When he returned, he assembled them and asked for an

accounting. Listen to the words of the master to those who faithfully

invested the resources he had entrusted to them:

[17] And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you

have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over

ten cities.’ (Luke 19)

The master commended this servant for his faithfulness and rewarded him

with even more responsibility. The nature of a parable is to teach a spiritual

lesson from an earthly story. What was Jesus communicating through this

parable? He was teaching those who heard it that it was their responsibility

to use the gifts and time God gave them to expand His kingdom. He was

telling them that the Father would reward faithful service. He was giving

them motivation for service. He challenged them to live such a life that the

Father would say: “Well done, good servant.” What a powerful motivation

this is—to live such a life that we would hear Him speak these words to us.

The apostle Paul charged Timothy with the following words:

[15] Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,

a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the

word of truth. (2 Timothy 2)

If Timothy was going to be a faithful worker in the kingdom of God, he

needed to do his best to seek God’s approval. Paul told the Romans that the

real Jew was not one who was Jewish on the outside but one who received

praise from God:

[29] But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of

the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from

man but from God. (Romans 2)

The proof of our genuineness is not found in recognition of men and

women around us but in the praise of God for a job well done and a life

well-lived. This is what we strive for in our Christian ministry—not the

empty praise and recognition of human beings but the commendation and

praise of God. If there is one thing that ought to motivate us, it should be to

receive the smile of God’s approval.

God promises to reward those who are faithful under trial:

[12] Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for

when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life,

which God has promised to those who love him. (James 1)

This crown of life is not only a recognition of steadfast service but also a

motivation for those who struggle in ministry and Christian living. Peter

told those who were facing great difficulties that when the Lord appeared,

He would reward them:

[4] And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the

unfading crown of glory. (1 Peter 5)

These words of Peter were intended to give courage to the readers of his

letter. His readers were to allow the reality of this crown of glory motive

them to greater service and endurance.

The Lord encouraged the persecuted church of Smyrna with the following

words:

[10] Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil

is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be

tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful

unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2)

God promised the crown of life to all believers in Smyrna, who were

faithful unto death. This was a powerful motivation for faithfulness. The

reward set before them offset the pain of anything their fellow human being

could do to them. Throughout the history of the world, countless believers

have willingly laid down their lives for this reward.

The apostle Paul challenged the Philippians to serve the Lord “heartily.” He

reminded them that if they did, they would receive “the inheritance” as their

reward.

[23] Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not

for men, [24] knowing that from the Lord you will receive the

inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

(Colossians 3)

When they were tempted to be lazy or half-hearted in their service, this

inheritance was to motivate them to be more diligent.

The motivation of future reward is not a New Testament concept only. The

writer to the Hebrews tells us why Moses was so willing to give up his

heritage as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.

[24] By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be

called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, [25] choosing rather to

be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting

pleasures of sin. [26] He considered the reproach of Christ

greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking

to the reward. (Hebrews 11)

By turning his back on the Egyptians who raised him, Moses faced the

same abuse the Israelites faced in Egypt. He was willing to suffer this

reproach because he was looking to the reward God had to offer him. This

reward was, in his mind, far better than all the wealth and treasures of

Egypt.

I want to be clear here that the reward we receive is not our salvation. Our

salvation is not merited but given to us as a gift. The compensation we

receive has to do with how we live out our salvation in this world. Consider

the teaching of Paul in this regard in 1 Corinthians 3:

[10] According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled

master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building

upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. [11] For

no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which

is Jesus Christ. [12] Now if anyone builds on the foundation

with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— [13] each

one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it,

because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what

sort of work each one has done. [14] If the work that anyone

has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.

[15] If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though

he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1

Corinthians 3)

The apostle taught the Corinthians that their salvation was the foundation

upon which they were to build their lives. The foundation was laid by Jesus

Christ Himself through His death and resurrection. This guaranteed our

salvation and right standing with God. The question we must now ask

ourselves is this: What am I going to do with this salvation? How am I

going to build on this solid foundation offered by Christ?

Paul tells the Corinthians that there were various kinds of material they

could use to build on the foundation that was constructed for them through

the work of Christ. They could build with wood, hay and straw, or with

gold, silver and precious stones. The day would come when the fire of

God’s judgement would evaluate the quality of what they built on the

foundation of their salvation. That fire would purge their work. The flames

would burn the inferior products, but the quality materials would remain.

Some will stand before the Lord and find that all their fleshly efforts will be

burned up and not stand the test of God’s judgement. The fire will destroy

all worldly efforts, and all that will remain is the foundation of salvation

offered them by Christ. They will be saved but “only as through fire.” They

will, however, have nothing to offer the Lord for a life lived under His

salvation.

How blessed it will be, however, to know that our lives have pleased the

Lord God and have withstood the test of His fiery judgement. The quality

of our service will be proven. We will stand before God knowing that we

have been faithful and that our lives have pleased Him. Could there be any

greater motivation than to see the smile of His approval on our lives and

Christian service?

The apostle Paul looked forward to his reward for faithful service. Writing

to the Philippians, he said:

[14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call

of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3)

Notice the words “I press on toward the goal.” What was the goal? He

answers this in the next phrase –“the prize of the upward call of God in

Christ Jesus.” The prize motivated Paul. The call of Christ Jesus to enter

His presence was a powerful motivation. The reward of heaven, in the

presence of Jesus, was a mighty incentive for the apostle to persevere even

when things were difficult. It drove him to faithful service. He wanted to

stand before the Lord Jesus without shame, having served Him diligently in

this life.

As the life of the apostle drew near its end, he wrote:

[7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have

kept the faith. [8] Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown

of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will

award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who

have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4)

Paul longed for the reward that was awaiting him. The crown of

righteousness would be his in just a short while. He would finish this

earthly race and receive His trophy. He knew that the Lord Jesus would be

waiting for him when he passed from this life. He pictured the Lord Jesus,

with an approving smile, awarding him the crown for faithful service. This

was a great blessing for Paul. He looked forward to the moment when He

would receive that award and be forever with the Lord He had faithfully

served.

The apostle Paul used the illustration of a runner to challenge the

Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 9:

[24] Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but

only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. [25]

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to

receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. (1

Corinthians 9)

Notice what Paul said here. He told the Corinthians that every runner in a

race runs with the prize in mind. If a runner has no interest in the trophy, he

or she will not run the best race. There is no motivation to press on. The

prize is our motivation. We run to receive that prize. When we are tired and

facing difficulty, we think about that prize, and it motivates us to keep

going. Those who have the reward in mind will endure the pain, ignore the

distraction, and discipline their bodies to push on toward the goal. Paul

challenged the Corinthians to run to obtain the prize. Live your life with

this prize in mind. Serve with a desire to know His commendation and

praise. Let the reward promised you to motivate you in your struggle. Find

comfort in the fact that while no one else knows your pain, Jesus will

reward you for your faithfulness. May the prize set before you encourage

and inspire you to greater heights of faithful service.

For Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I thank you for the foundation You have constructed through

Your death for my salvation. I ask now that You teach me to build on that

foundation with gold, silver and precious stones, knowing that I will one

day stand before You in judgement. I pray that You teach me to store up

treasures in heaven and not on this earth. May I seek the praise of God and

not human praise. When I am persecuted or in difficulty, may the promise

of reward, motivate me to persevere. May I live my life to hear You say,

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” May the promise of reward in

heaven move me to sacrifice all this world has to offer. May my greatest

desire be to know that I have lived a life that pleased You and when I stand

before You in that final day, may I see the joy of Your smile and approval

for a life faithfully lived to your honour and praise.

OUR MEANS

9 - BY MY SPIRIT

very kingdom has its rules. These rules govern the behaviour of its

citizens. What is true in earthly terms is also true for our service in

the kingdom of God. If we are to be effective in the work of the

Lord, then we must do things His way.

It has been a source of grief for me to see how we have adopted worldly

methods in our attempt to build the kingdom of God. We teach people how

to be good salesmen, administrators and entertainers and expect that these

techniques will grow the church as God intends. We instruct pastors to

preach in a way that captures and keeps the attention of the listeners. We

play the right kind of music and have the right programmes, so people are

attracted to our church. All these methods have been proven to grow a

secular business. Is the kingdom of God expanded by secular business

practices? Is it the intention of God that we look to the world for our

inspiration?

Over the next few chapters, I want to touch on this matter of our method.

What does the Scripture teach about the techniques we use to expand the

kingdom of God? To begin, let me quote the words of God in the prophecy

of Zechariah.

[6] Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to

Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says

the LORD of hosts. [7] Who are you, O great mountain? Before

Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring

forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

(Zechariah 4)

The words of the Lord were intended for the governor Zerubbabel. God was

telling the governor that He was with Him and that the source of his

strength to accomplish the task He had given him was not to be found in his

might and power but in the Spirit of God. The ability to do the work God

assigned to him was not in himself but in the Spirit of God. The power of

the Spirit would level the mountains before him. The words of the Lord

were not only a promise to Governor Zerubbabel but also instruction on

how he was to perform his duty. He was not to rely on his ability but in the

power of the Lord.

Consider the words of Proverbs 3:

[5] Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on

your own understanding. [6] In all your ways acknowledge

him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3)

The command of Scripture is for us not to lean on our understanding.

Instead, we are to trust the Lord with all our heart and acknowledge Him in

all our ways. To acknowledge the Lord means that we need to bring Him

into our circumstances. We are to seek Him and His purpose in all our

ways. When we encounter each new day, we are to walk with a conscious

awareness of the presence of God and seek His guidance in all we do. We

are to trust Him and His purposes even when we don’t understand what He

is doing.

How easy it is for us to take charge of our circumstances. We feel the need

to be in control of the events that take place in our lives. The problem with

this is that God knows the plans He has for us. We fail to see the full

picture. We can’t imagine how a tragedy could work out for good. Like

Jonah, we see the big fish coming at us with its mouth wide open and can’t

understand how this could be our deliverance. Speaking through the prophet

Isaiah, the Lord said this:

[8] For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your

ways my ways, declares the LORD. [9] For as the heavens are

higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55)

We can make our plans and do the best we can in our wisdom, but the very

best we can do is far inferior to the ways of the Lord. If we are going to do

the work of the kingdom in God’s way, we need His guidance and leading.

God rebuked the Israelites in the book of Isaiah because they carried out

their plans but did not seek Him:

[30:1] “Ah, stubborn children,” declares the LORD, “who

carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but

not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; (Isaiah 30)

God’s people sat down and made a plan. That plan was carefully carried

out, but it was not what God intended for them. They partnered with others

to accomplish this plan, but those they partnered with were not God’s

choice. They made all these decisions without the assistance and direction

of God’s Spirit. In this, they sinned.

The writer to of Proverbs calls those who trust in their own reasoning,

fools:

[26] Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks

in wisdom will be delivered. (Proverbs 28)

Writing in Jeremiah 10, the prophet declares:

[23] I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself,

that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. (Jeremiah 10)

These are powerful words. The prophet is saying that it is not in man to

direct his steps. In other words, if you want to know how to walk, you

cannot look into your own heart. You need guidance from above. There are

those who challenge us to follow our own heart or to do what is in our heart

to do. This is what lead Israel into sin. They looked to themselves for

direction and not to God.

God has a purpose for our lives. Imagine what an army would be like if

every soldier did what was in his or her heart to do. If an army is going to

function well, it must receive its instructions from the commander. Each

soldier on the battlefield must surrender his or her ideas and listen to the

commands from above. Only then can they function as a unified and

effective force against the enemy. If we are going to be effective in the

kingdom of God, we must surrender to the purpose and will of the Father.

He will guide us in the way we should go. We must learn to listen to Him.

Consider the example of Jesus in this regard. Speaking to His disciples, He

said:

[19] So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son

can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the

Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does

likewise. (John 5)

What is amazing about this verse is that the Lord Jesus only did what He

saw His Father doing. He made it clear to His disciples that He did nothing

“of his own accord.” In other words, Jesus chose to seek and surrender to

the will and purpose of the Father in everything He did. He refused to act

independently of the Father. Our Lord pursued the will of the Father in

every decision He made. He lived in complete surrender to His Father’s

will.

Writing to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul said:

[18] Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks

that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may

become wise. [19] For the wisdom of this world is folly with

God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,”

[20] and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that

they are futile.” (1 Corinthians 3)

According to Paul, those who believed themselves to be wise deceived

themselves. Paul told the Corinthians that the “wisdom of this world is folly

with God.” Can we expand the kingdom of God by foolishness? The work

of the kingdom of God demands wisdom that is not human. It demands the

insight and understanding of God. It requires servants who can tap into the

mind of God and walk in obedience to His purpose.

Acts 8 tells the story of Philip. Philip left Jerusalem when persecution broke

out in the city. He went to Samaria, where he began to preach the gospel.

God worked in a powerful way, and many were healed and accepted the

Lord Jesus. Such a revival broke out in that region that it captured the

attention of the apostles in Jerusalem. They sent representatives to Samaria

to see the work Philip was doing.

It was at the height of this ministry that an angel of the Lord came to Philip

and told him to leave and go into the desert of Gaza. From a purely rational

perspective, that command did not make sense. Philip had just seen many

people come to the Lord. These new converts needed to be discipled. How

could he leave these people at such a crucial point in their lives? The

command of God did not make sense to Philip, but he chose to obey.

The Lord led him into the desert just as an Ethiopian official was returning

home to his country. The Spirit of God told Philip to go over to the official’s

chariot, and when he obeyed, he discovered that he was reading the Jewish

Scriptures. Philip explained these Scriptures to the man, who accepted the

Lord and was baptized before returning to his country.

Philip could never have known about this Ethiopian. God, however, had a

plan, and the only way that this plan could be accomplished was if Philip

was sensitive to the leading of the Spirit and put aside his own ideas.

Consider also the Israelites as they escaped Egypt and come to the Red Sea.

As they camped at this sea, they hear the sound of the approaching army of

Pharaoh. Before them is the Sea. Behind them are the forces of Pharaoh. To

each side are mountains. They are trapped. How were they to escape? As

we look at the picture before us, we see a scene of hopelessness. There was

no way to escape.

As Moses sought the wisdom of God, however, God told him to hold out

his rod over the sea. When he did, the waters parted and provided a means

of escape for the whole nation. Who among us would have come up with

the idea of parting the waters as a means of escape? God had a solution that

defied human logic.

When we trust our wisdom and education to guide us in the work of the

kingdom of God, we will fail miserably. God’s ways defy our logic. The

work of the kingdom cannot be accomplished through our understanding. If

we want to be effective in the service of God, we need His wisdom and

knowledge. We need to know the leading of God’s Spirit. We must be

willing to step out in ways that do not make sense to this world. We cannot

succeed in the work of God if we depend on our understanding. Jeremiah,

the prophet tells us:

[5] Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man

and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the

LORD. [6] He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see

any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the

wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. [7] “Blessed is the man

who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. [8] He is

like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the

stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves

remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it

does not cease to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17)

Barrenness and fruitlessness are the fruit of human wisdom and fleshly

efforts. Only by trusting the Lord and His leading can we truly succeed. We

can build large buildings and gather large crowds with our human

experience and understanding, but to build the kingdom requires

submission to God and His ways.

Closely connected to the wisdom of God is the power of God. Just as we

cannot lean on our understanding, so we cannot rely on our strength if we

are to be servants of the kingdom. Writing to the Corinthians, the apostle

Paul said:

[20] For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in

power. (1 Corinthians 4)

The work of the kingdom of God involves pushing back forces of evil that

are bigger than us. The ability to overcome Satan and his forces does not

come from our flesh. The strength to wage the battle is in Christ and the

work of His Spirit in us:

[13] I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

(Philippians 4)

The apostle John reminded his readers that the power of God in him was

greater than anything Satan and this world could raise against them.

[4] Little children, you are from God and have overcome them,

for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1

John 4)

We know this in our head, but the challenge for every kingdom worker is to

live this out. Many of us ask God to bless our human strength and wisdom

rather than trusting in His. We pray for God’s wisdom and then try to figure

things out ourselves. We ask for God’s strength but only attempt what we

can do in our natural strength. We ask God to bless our human efforts rather

than stepping out in the power of His Spirit.

In 2 Chronicles 14, we read the story of King Asa. On this occasion, Zerah

the Ethiopian came up against him with a million men and 300 chariots.

Zerah and Asa met in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. As Asa looked

at the force that had come up against him, he knew he was no match for it.

In 2 Chronicles 14:11, he cried out to the Lord:

[11] And Asa cried to the LORD his God, “O LORD, there is

none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help

us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we

have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God;

let not man prevail against you.” (2 Chronicles 14)

2 Chronicles 14:12 tell us what happened:

[12] So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and

before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.

Notice particularly the words of verse 12—“the Lord defeated the

Ethiopians before Asa.” There is no question about the source of victory.

The Lord defeated the Ethiopians. He indeed chose to use the army of Asa,

but it was not Asa who won the day. All credit for this victory went to the

Lord.

When Paul went to Corinth, he was very much aware of the power of God

working in him. He told the Corinthians:

[3] And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much

trembling, [4] and my speech and my message were not in

plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit

and of power, [5] so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom

of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2)

The apostle understood his weakness. He went to Corinth with “much

trembling.” He was aware that he could argue spiritual points with these

people, but not one of them would come to know Christ. He knew that a

soul was not given life through understanding and logic but the power of

God’s Spirit. Paul went to Corinth with the power of the Spirit of God. It

was that power that established the church and brought the Corinthians

from death to life.

Paul said something very similar when he wrote to the Romans:

[17] In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my

work for God. [18] For I will not venture to speak of anything

except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the

Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, [19] by the power of

signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that

from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have

fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; (Romans 15)

Notice how Paul told the Romans that he would not speak of anything but

what Christ had accomplished through him. He could not boast of his

accomplishments. His boast was in the Lord Jesus and what He did through

him. It was through “signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God”

that forces of darkness were pushed back, and the kingdom of God

expanded.

The weapons of our warfare, according to Paul, are not in ourselves or our

natural abilities, but in the power of God:

[4] For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but

have divine power to destroy strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10)

Some years ago, I was speaking with a dear sister in the Lord. She was

talking about how she took hours to prepare for a Sunday School lesson. I

remember telling her that day that I was encouraged to see how seriously

she took this matter of teaching children, but I trusted that when she went to

teach her children, she was not trusting in her preparation but the Spirit of

God. How easy it is to rely on our preparation, knowledge and experience.

The reality of the matter is that unless the Lord works, we are merely

speaking words. The power to change is in the Lord. What lasting benefit

can there be if God is not in what we say and do? No matter how

experienced we are in the work of the kingdom, every one of us is

dependent on the Lord God to move. It is not our finely worded sermons

that will win people to the Lord. It is not our wise counsel that will release

someone from the darkness of sin. This is the work of God’s Spirit. He

alone can bring new life.

Before He left His disciples to return to the Father, the Lord Jesus told

them:

[8] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come

upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all

Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1)

These simple disciples would be empowered by the Spirit of God to reach

the ends of the earth. In the power of the Spirit of God, lives would be

transformed, and churches established. The kingdom of Satan would be

pushed back not by the human strength of the disciples of Jesus but the

power of His Holy Spirit working through them.

There is a wonderful story in John 21 that illustrates what I am speaking

about here.

[4] Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the

disciples did not know that it was Jesus. [5] Jesus said to them,

“Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”

[6] He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,

and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not

able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. [7] That

disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the

Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on

his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw

himself into the sea. (John 21)

The disciples were experienced fishermen. They knew all the tricks of the

trade. That day, as they exercised their profession, they came up with

nothing. They did not catch any fish. Jesus came to the shore of the lake

where they were fishing and called out to them. When they told Him that

they had found nothing that morning, Jesus commanded them to cast their

nets on the other side of the boat. When they took that advice, John tells us

that their nets filled with so many fish they were not able to bring them all

into the boat. It was only then that the disciples understood that it was the

Lord who had given them this advice.

I see in this story a picture of human effort versus the way of the Spirit. The

experience of these fishermen that day was insufficient to catch any fish. It

was only when they heard the voice of the Lord and obeyed that they found

their fish. To those looking on at the scene, there didn’t seem to be any

difference between fishing on one side of the boat or the other. The

difference, however, was very real. The disciples pulled up their nets at that

command of the Lord and cast them out on the other side in obedience to

His prompting. It was by the power of God that those fish were available.

What made the difference between one side of the boat and the other? It

was the leading and power of God. The disciples cast their nets on one side

based on their experience as fishermen. They pulled them up and threw

them on the other side based on the leading of Christ. That made all the

difference.

The work of the kingdom of God is not accomplished in human wisdom

and experience but in the power of God’s Spirit. If we are going to push

back the forces of darkness, we need an understanding and power bigger

than our own. God calls us to a task that is greater than our natural ability.

Will we continue to trust in our strength, wisdom and experience, or will we

pull up our nets and cast them on the other side of the boat, trusting in

God’s wisdom and power?

For Prayer:

Holy Spirit, I thank you that you have come to live in the lives of all who

belong to Christ. Thank you for the reality of Your presence, wisdom and

power in me. Give me the humility to recognize that I do not have the

ability in my flesh to advance Your kingdom. Teach me more and more to

know Your leading and to walk in Your enabling.

I recognize Lord God that Your ways are not my ways, nor are Your

thoughts like my thoughts. Help me to trust You more and myself less. Give

me the grace to believe that when I ask You to lead, You will. Help me to

trust Your guidance more than my wisdom. May I not be afraid to face what

I cannot do in my human strength and knowledge because I know that

where you lead, you will also empower. Teach me to serve not in fleshly

wisdom and strength but in the power of Your Spirit, who alone can push

back the forces of darkness and give life.

10 - BY FAITH

od uses our frail human bodies and minds to accomplish the work

of His kingdom, but the Lord’s work does not depend so much on

human effort but on the guidance and enabling of the Spirit of

God. Like a hammer in the hand of an expert carpenter, the Spirit of God is

pleased to use us to accomplish His purpose. Those who look at the

completed project, however, do not praise the hammer, but the carpenter

who used it.

This is not to say that we are mere puppets in the hands of God. God has

given us a free will and the ability to surrender or resist His purpose in this

world. We are free to follow the leading of the Spirit of God, or we can

choose to do things our way. Not all ministries have been established

through the leading of the Lord. Not all believers depend on God for their

service.

Speaking to the multitude in Matthew 7, Jesus said:

[21] “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the

kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father

who is in heaven. [22] On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord,

Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons

in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ [23]

And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from

me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7)

The words of Jesus are important. He tells us that there will be people who

call Him Lord and do many mighty deeds in His name that He does not

accept as His own. These individuals do not belong to Him. Notice

particularly in verse 23 that the Lord calls them workers of lawlessness. In

other words, the work they did in His name was contrary to His purpose and

leading. We should not be deceived into thinking that everything done in

the name of Jesus is from Him.

It is for this reason that we need to be careful as servants of God to seek

Him and His purpose in all we do. Consider the words of Paul to the

Romans:

[23] But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because

the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed

from faith is sin. (Romans 14)

I want to focus on the second half of this verse. Paul told the Roman

believers that “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” There are

many ways to understand what Paul is telling the Romans here.

In Acts 15, we read about the struggle of the early church to accept non-

Jews as believers. It was Peter who seemed to bring this debate to a

conclusion when he stood up and said:

[8] And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by

giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, [9] and he

made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their

hearts by faith. (Acts 15)

Peter told the leaders in that meeting that the Lord had cleansed the hearts

of the Gentiles by faith and put His Holy Spirit in them. This was, in his

mind, conclusive proof that these Gentiles were children of God. Jesus

cleansed their hearts by faith. The very first step to becoming a servant of

God is to trust in the work of Christ to cleanse our soul of its sin. It is by

faith in what Jesus has done that we are forgiven and cleansed. Only those

who have known this cleansing can be God’s faithful servants.

Beyond this, however, is the reality of the work we are called to do. We

have already said that the task given to us is to glorify God and push back

the forces of sin and evil in this world. This is a responsibility that is far

greater than us. Our human strength is no match for the powers of hell and

darkness. Our human wisdom cannot comprehend the complexities of the

tactics of Satan. If left to fend for ourselves, we would inevitably fail.

Matthew 14 describes an incident between Jesus and Peter:

[28] And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me

to come to you on the water.” [29] He said, “Come.” So Peter

got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.

[30] But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning

to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” [31] Jesus immediately

reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O

you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14)

Notice what is happening in Matthew 14. Jesus walked on the water on His

way to the boat. Peter asked if he could come to meet Him on the water.

Jesus told him to come. Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the

water, but when the wind started to pick up, he became afraid and began to

sink. He needed to cry out to the Lord Jesus to save him from drowning.

The response of Jesus in verse 31 is this: “O you of little faith, why did you

doubt?” Jesus attributed the failure of Peter to walk on the water to a lack of

faith.

The work of the kingdom of God, like walking on water, is a task that is

impossible in our human strength. The salvation of a soul is a miracle, not

just a change of mind. When a soul is saved, the Spirit of God comes to live

in that person, changing them completely. The power of the kingdom of

Satan is pushed back through the mighty work of God. When God calls us

to service, He is calling us to do what we cannot do in our abilities. Like

Peter, He is calling us to walk on water. He is challenging us to go out in

His might to accomplish what we cannot accomplish in our flesh. If we are

going to be successful in this task, we must have faith in God’s ability.

The writer of the book of Hebrews defines faith in the following terms:

[11:1] Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the

conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11)

Faith, according to Hebrews 11, is the assurance of things hoped for and

conviction of things not seen. It is the confidence that the Word of God is

true and that all things are possible in Him. It is an absolute trust in a God

who cannot lie. This faith brings us courage when everything before us

seems humanly impossible. It directs us in the way we need to go even

when everyone else tells us that we should be going the other way. It is the

ear that hears the leading of God, the feet that move in obedience to that

leading and the power that makes what He has called us to do possible.

The writer of Hebrews 11 goes on to give a list of men and women who

trusted God and His leading in their lives. He speaks of Noah, who built a

boat when God directed him to do so (Hebrews 11:7). He recounts how

Abraham left the region of Ur when he did not know where he was going.

He reminds us of his wife, Sarah, who conceived a child at a time in her life

when it was physically impossible. He goes on to discuss the faith of

Moses, who, at the age of eighty, delivered the entire nation of Israel from

bondage by crossing the Red Sea on dry land. It was by faith in God’s

leading that the Israelites under Joshua marched around the walls of the city

of Jericho. They marvelled as those walls fell before their eyes.

Hebrews 11 goes on to describe men and women who gave up their lives,

were made strong and put mighty forces to flight. Some of these individuals

paid dearly for their acts of faith. They were tortured, mocked, beaten and

imprisoned, but they persevered to the end because they believed in God

and His purposes. It was faith in the purpose and power of God that gave

them this endurance and strength. These men and women of God were

faithful servants who walked by faith.

At the beginning of this great faith chapter in the book of Hebrews is the

following statement:

[6] And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever

would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he

rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11)

It is not possible to please God without faith in Him, His leading, and His

purpose. If you want to serve the Lord God, you will need to do so by faith.

Faith in God is demonstrated in many ways in the Bible. Jesus taught that

His servants needed to learn to trust Him for their basic needs:

[30] But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is

alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much

more clothe you, O you of little faith? [31] Therefore do not be

anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’

or ‘What shall we wear?’ [32] For the Gentiles seek after all

these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need

them all. (Matthew 6)

Some believers don’t seem to understand what it is to trust God for their

basic needs. They have a good job and are well provided for. They have

money to buy their food and pay their bills. What we need to understand,

however, is that this is the provision of the Lord. We are dependent on Him

for the health and strength to go to work every day. If for an instant, He

turned His eyes away from us, our lives and everything we have could be

gone. Faith recognizes the provision of God and gives Him glory for these

blessings. Faith does not take anything for granted but knows that were it

not for the provision of God, we would have nothing.

Faith is also demonstrated in our response to the storms of life. Consider the

word of Matthew 8:

[23] And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.

[24] And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that

the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.

[25] And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we

are perishing.” [26] And he said to them, “Why are you afraid,

O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and

the sea, and there was a great calm. [27] And the men

marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds

and sea obey him?” (Matthew 8)

Here in this story, Jesus was in a boat on the lake with His disciples. A

storm came up on the lake of such a nature that the boat risked sinking. The

response of the disciples was to be fear for their lives. Jesus rebuked the

waves, and the sea calmed down, demonstrating that He was in absolute

control of the situation.

How do you respond when storms arise in the ministry the Lord has given

you? Is your response one of confidence and trust in the Lord, or one of fear

and defeat? Do you resort to faith, or do you take matters into your own

hands to resolve the problem in your wisdom? Can you believe that when

God strips something from us, He has a purpose? Will you continue to trust

even when things don’t turn out as you expected?

The prophet Habakkuk questioned God as he contemplated the evil around

Him. He wrestled with how the evil person prospered, and God did not

seem to be answering prayer. In the end, however, his faith in God won out,

and he concluded by saying:

[17] Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the

vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food,

the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the

stalls, [18] yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the

God of my salvation. [19] GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he

makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high

places. (Habakkuk 3)

Habakkuk chose to have faith in God, even when there was no fruit on the

vine, and there was no herd in the stalls. He could not understand what was

happening, but he chose to find strength in the Lord God and continue to

trust Him.

As we serve the Lord, we can be sure that we will face many obstacles.

How are we to overcome those obstacles? We must do so by faith and

confidence in God and His word.

Matthew 9 recounts the story about Jesus healing two blind men. These

men came to Jesus, crying out for the healing of this blindness. Jesus turned

to them and asked them: “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

(Matthew 9:28) When they assured Him that they did believe He could heal

them, he touched their eyes and said:

[29] Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your

faith be it done to you.” (Matthew 9)

The result was that their eyes were opened, and they were healed of their

blindness. There are times when we do not see the work of God because we

do not have faith in God. We do not honestly believe that He can do these

mighty works. These blind men are examples to us.

In Matthew 17, the disciples were unable to deliver a boy from a demon

that had been afflicting him. Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of

the boy, and he was instantly healed. When the disciples saw what

happened, they asked Jesus why they could not cast this demon out

themselves. Listen to the response of Jesus:

[19] Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why

could we not cast it out?” [20] He said to them, “Because of

your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a

grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move

from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be

impossible for you.” (Matthew 17)

Without faith, these disciples were powerless against the forces of evil. If

they were to be effective in ministry, they needed to believe in God and His

purpose. The words “according to your faith be it done to you” (Matthew

9:29) still apply to our service of God today. Because we are not trusting in

our strength, we need faith to believe in God, His purpose and enabling.

The early church had a vital ministry of distribution to those in need. This

provided for the needs of the poor in their midst. The disciples, while

tempted to be involved in this ministry, understood that God had called

them to preach the word. Listen to what they said about this in Acts 6:

[2] And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples

and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the

word of God to serve tables. [3] Therefore, brothers, pick out

from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and

of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. [4] But we will

devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

(Acts 6)

By faith, these disciples discerned the will of God for their ministry and

chose to be faithful to that task. They did not want to be distracted from

what God had given them to do. There are many wonderful opportunities to

serve the Lord. The needs before us are far more than we can handle. As

much as we do, there is always more to do. How are we to know what we

should do?

The answer to these questions comes through faith in what God has given

us to do. I have met men and women who feel like every time there is a

need, they need to be the ones to meet that need. Sometimes the hearts of

these individuals are right, but they are not necessarily following the

leading of the Lord. They have a hard time saying “no” and feel a passion

to do everything they can. The problem is that they would be able to

accomplish far more if they could focus on what God has gifted and called

them to do.

The church of Acts 11 was scattered as a result of persecution and settled in

the regions of Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch. Among them were believers

from Cyprus and Cyrene, who went to Antioch and preached the gospel to

the Gentiles of the city. This resulted in the conversion of many. When the

report of this work came to Jerusalem, it determined to send Barnabas to

see what was happening and to encourage these believers in their new-

found faith.

[22] The report of this came to the ears of the church in

Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. [23] When he

came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted

them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose,

[24] for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.

And a great many people were added to the Lord. (Acts 11)

Notice the reason the church sent Barnabas in verse 24: “for he was a good

man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith.” Barnabas was chosen for this

mission because the disciples knew that he would serve in the power of the

Spirit by faith, two essential ingredients for all who minister in the name of

the Lord.

The Scripture is clear that salvation and forgiveness are not the results of

human effort but faith in the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf.

[21] But now the righteousness of God has been manifested

apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear

witness to it— [22] the righteousness of God through faith in

Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

[23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

(Romans 3)

[28] For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works

of the law. (Romans 3)

Not only are we saved by faith in what Christ has done for us, but our

growth in the Christian life also takes place by faith in the Lord Jesus and

the work of His Spirit in us. The apostle Paul, sharing the testimony of his

call to Christian ministry, said this:

[15] And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am

Jesus whom you are persecuting. [16] But rise and stand upon

your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to

appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you

have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, [17]

delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles— to

whom I am sending you [18] to open their eyes, so that they

may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to

God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place

among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ (Acts 26)

Notice the statement in verse 18 – “Those who are sanctified by faith in

me.” What the Lord was telling Paul is that our maturing into the likeness

of Christ is a result of faith not only in the work of Christ for our salvation

but also in the work of His Spirit in us on an ongoing basis. By faith, we

hear the conviction of the Spirit. By faith, we obey the words of Scripture.

By faith, we surrender to His leading. There can be no growth in our

relationship with Christ without faith. The righteous person, according to

Paul, was to live by faith:

[17] For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith

for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

(Romans 1)

We come to know the Lord Jesus and His salvation by faith. We grow in our

relationship with the Lord by faith. As His servants, we must also serve by

faith in God, His leading, His purpose and His enabling. Paul commended

the Thessalonians for their work of faith in 1 Thessalonians 1:

[3] remembering before our God and Father your work of faith

and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus

Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1)

He challenged the Romans to exercise their gifts in proportion to their faith:

[6] Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us,

let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; (Romans

I trust that the importance of faith in the service of the Lord is apparent. The

implication is that we are not looking to our human wisdom for guidance

but to the Lord God and the work of His Spirit in us. Just as we saved by

faith in Christ Jesus, so we must learn to serve Him by faith. We must look

to Him for guidance. We must trust His power as we step out in obedience.

All this requires faith.

Some years ago, I asked the Lord for the grace to trust His leading more

than my human reason. I remember how I struggled with that prayer. We

confess to having a personal God who leads and guides. Do we not believe

that this God strengthens those who call out to Him? If so, why do we only

do what is reasonable to us? We only plan to do what we can do in our own

strength. We struggle to step out onto the water like Peter. We wrestle with

obeying when it doesn’t make sense. We complain when things don’t

happen as we anticipated. Faith trusts God in these times. The kingdom of

God is advanced only as we learn to trust the leading and enabling of the

Lord. It grows when we put aside our own ideas to trust what He is doing.

For Prayer:

Lord God, I confess my frailty and lack of wisdom. I know that I cannot

understand Your great purpose. I thank You, however, that since coming to

know Your salvation, I have been indwelt by Your Holy Spirit. I thank You

that He is my counsellor and guide. I praise You Holy Spirit for the way

You have been working in me. Teach me to be more sensitive to Your voice.

Give me the faith I need to be a good servant in the Kingdom of God. Help

me to look to You for guidance and trust Your leading. Give me the ability

to step out when I do not have the personal strength to do so. Give me

perseverance as I believe You when things do not turn out as

anticipated. Forgive me for trusting my education and experience more than

You and Your Word. Teach me to walk and serve You by faith. Thank You

that as I do so, I can expect great things.

11 - WITH CLEAN HANDS

AND A PURE HEART

here is one further point we need to make concerning our method

of serving God. Consider the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 24:

[3] Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall

stand in his holy place? [4] He who has clean hands and a pure

heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not

swear deceitfully. [5] He will receive blessing from the LORD

and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (Psalm 24)

As servants of the Lord God, we have been empowered by His Spirit to

minister in His name. We stand as representatives of God in this dark world.

As His ambassadors, it is imperative that we have clean hands and a pure

heart. The people to whom we are sent must be able to trust the words we

speak. They must see a reflection of the Lord God in our lives, attitudes and

speech.

Jesus had some strong words to say to the religious leaders of His day:

[23] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you

tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier

matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These

you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. [24] You

blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! [25]

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean

the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of

greed and self-indulgence. [26] You blind Pharisee! First clean

the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be

clean. [27] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear

beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all

uncleanness. [28] So you also outwardly appear righteous to

others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

(Matthew 23)

The Pharisees were respected people in Jesus' day. They represented the

Lord God and taught His law. Jesus, however, saw beyond the external

appearance. He saw how they tithed the smallest seeds but were unjust,

unmerciful and unfaithful in their dealings with people (verse 23). He saw

how they appeared to be pious on the outside but were greedy and self-

centred (verse 25). He knew the evil of their hearts and rebuked them. They

were not faithful servants of God. Jesus accused them of hypocrisy and

lawlessness (verse 28).

The apostle Paul spoke similar words in his epistle to the Romans:

[21] you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself?

While you preach against stealing, do you steal? [22] You who

say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit

adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? [23] You

who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. [24]

For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among

the Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2)

The apostle writes in Romans 2 to religious leaders who taught and

preached the ways of the Lord (verse 21). These preachers and teachers,

however, were not following their own counsel. They preached the truth but

did not live it. The name of the Lord God was being blasphemed among the

Gentiles because of their hypocrisy.

You cannot claim to be a true servant of God if your life and actions do not

reflect His character. You cannot faithfully represent the Lord if you are not

walking in obedience to His Word. We misrepresent God if we do live as

He commanded. We turn people from God’s purpose if we are not guided

by His Word in all we do and speak. Every servant of God must not only

know the Lord Jesus personally but commit themselves to absolute

obedience to His Word. The teaching found in the Scriptures must be our

guide. It must be our goal to walk in obedience to God’s purpose for our

actions, words and thoughts.

As we examine the teaching of the Old Testament, we see that Israel’s

success in battle and life was not due to her military strength but to her

obedience to the Lord God.

[3] “If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments

and do them, [4] then I will give you your rains in their season,

and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field

shall yield their fruit. [5] Your threshing shall last to the time of

the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time

for sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in

your land securely. [6] I will give peace in the land, and you

shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will

remove harmful beasts from the land, and the sword shall not

go through your land. [7] You shall chase your enemies, and

they shall fall before you by the sword. [8] Five of you shall

chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten

thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

[9] I will turn to you and make you fruitful and multiply you

and will confirm my covenant with you. (Leviticus 26)

God promised that if His people obeyed Him, their fields would produce an

abundance of crops (verses 3-5). They would also have peace in their land

(verse 6), and victory over their enemies (verses 7-9). The victory for God’s

people was in the blessing that came as a result of obedience to His law.

[1] “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your

God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command

you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the

nations of the earth. [2] And all these blessings shall come

upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD

your God. [3] Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall

you be in the field. [4] Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb

and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the

increase of your herds and the young of your flock. [5] Blessed

shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. [6] Blessed shall

you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you

go out. [7] “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise

against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out

against you one way and flee before you seven ways. [8] The

LORD will command the blessing on you in your barns and in

all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the

LORD your God is giving you. [9] The LORD will establish

you as a people holy to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you

keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in his

ways. [10] And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you

are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of

you. (Deuteronomy 28)

I have met Christian leaders who seek the blessing of the Lord for their

church or ministry. They look to one programme after another to find this

blessing. God tells us in Deuteronomy 28 that the secret to blessing is found

in obedience to His Word. Notice the list of blessings recorded for us in

Deuteronomy 28:

1. The Lord will set you high above all nations of the earth

2. Blessings in the city

3. Blessings in the field

4. Blessings of the womb

5. Blessings of the ground

6. Blessings of the cattle

7. Increase of their herds and flocks

8. Blessing in going out

9. Blessed in coming in

10. The victory of the Lord over their enemies

11. Blessings in the barn

12. Blessings on their land

How would they obtain these blessings from the Lord? The Lord tells them

three times in Deuteronomy 28: 1-9 how they could experience these

blessings:

1. “If you faithfully obey” (verse 1)

2. “being careful to do all his commandments” (verse 1)

3. “if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God

and walk in his ways” (verse 9)

The blessing of the Lord would only come if God’s people chose to walk in

faithful obedience to His commandments. It is the heart of God to make His

servants fruitful. Jesus told His disciples that the Father was glorified when

they produced much fruit:

[8] By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and

so prove to be my disciples. [9] As the Father has loved me, so

have I loved you. Abide in my love. [10] If you keep my

commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept

my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. (John 15)

Notice in verse 9, the connection between bearing much fruit and abiding in

the love of Christ. Those who produced much fruit dwelt in the love of

Christ. Jesus went on to tell us how we can remain in His love. “If you

keep my commandments, you will abide in my love,” He said. What do

these words of Jesus teach us? We glorify God by producing much fruit. We

produce much fruit by abiding in His love. We abide in His love by walking

according to His commandments. If we want to glorify God by our

fruitfulness, we need to keep His commandments. Disobedience will

remove His blessing from our lives and ministries.

We catch a glimpse of the heart of God for this fruitfulness and blessing in

Psalm 81 when the Lord cries out:

[13] Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would

walk in my ways! [14] I would soon subdue their enemies and

turn my hand against their foes. (Psalm 81)

“I would soon subdue their enemies,” the Lord said. It was as if the only

thing holding back the floodgates of His blessing was the disobedience of

God’s people. If only they repented, they would experience more blessings

than they could ever imagine.

A similar cry is heard through the prophet Isaiah:

[18] Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!

Then your peace would have been like a river, and your

righteousness like the waves of the sea; [19] your offspring

would have been like the sand, and your descendants like its

grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from

before me.” (Isaiah 48)

The heart of the Father was that His children experience peace,

righteousness, and fruitfulness like waves of the sea. If you have ever sat

down by the ocean and watched those waves come in, you will understand

something of what the Lord is saying here. One wave after another crashes

on the shore. This is repeated minute after minute, day after day, year after

year without ceasing, yet the ocean behind it is never depleted. The

abundant blessing of God for those who obey cannot be measured. “Oh that

you had paid attention to my commandments!” said the Lord, you would

have experienced the waves of blessing I had prepared for you and the

ministry I have given to you.

Nothing will destroy our service for the Lord like disobedience. In Joshua

7, we read how the Lord gave Joshua victory over the city of Jericho. When

they attacked the much smaller town of Ai, however, they suffered a

humiliating defeat. When Joshua asked the Lord why they had been routed

by the enemy, the Lord told him that it was because there was sin in the

camp. When Joshua set out to discover this sin, he found that Achan, the

son of Carmi, had taken a cloak, 200 shekels of silver and a gold bar from

Jericho when the Lord made it clear that they were to take nothing. This act

of disobedience removed the blessing of God and resulted in the

humiliation of Israel’s army in the city of Ai. The disobedience of Achan

brought Israel’s defeat.

Numbers 14 gives us the reason for the victory of the Amalekites and

Canaanites over Israel in the days of Moses:

[43] For there the Amalekites and the Canaanites are facing

you, and you shall fall by the sword. Because you have turned

back from following the LORD, the LORD will not be with

you.” (Numbers 14)

Israel had turned its back on God, so God would not go with them into

battle. As a result, their enemies defeated them.

The prophet Jeremiah prophesied that God would send the Babylonians

against His people. Under Nebuchadnezzar, the nation of Judah would be

destroyed, and its inhabitants dispersed.

[8] “Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Because you have

not obeyed my words, [9] behold, I will send for all the tribes

of the north, declares the LORD, and for Nebuchadnezzar the

king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this

land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding

nations. I will devote them to destruction, and make them a

horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. (Jeremiah 25)

Notice the reason for the defeat of God’s people in verse 8: “Because you

have not obeyed my words.”

Isaiah prophesied that because God’s people had rebelled and grieved His

Holy Spirit, God turned on them and became their enemy:

[10] But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he

turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.

(Isaiah 63)

God’s people are left powerless before their enemies when they live in

disobedience.

[20] So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and

he said, “Because this people have transgressed my covenant

that I commanded their fathers and have not obeyed my voice,

[21] I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations

that Joshua left when he died, (Judges 2)

We see this same teaching in the New Testament. Consider the

qualifications of an elder as recorded in Titus 1:7-9:

[7] For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach.

He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or

violent or greedy for gain, [8] but hospitable, a lover of good,

self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. [9] He must hold

firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able

to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those

who contradict it. (Titus 1)

Those who ruled in the church were to be “above reproach.” In other words,

they were to deal with any known sin in their lives so that they did not

hinder the work of God in the church.

Peter challenged husbands to live with their wives in an “understanding

way” so that their prayers would not be hindered. If the husband did not

respect his wife and live peacefully with her, the Lord would refuse to listen

to his prayers.

[7] Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an

understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker

vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that

your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3)

Jesus taught that if anyone brought an offering to the Lord and remembered

that their brother or sister had something against them, they were to leave

their gift at the altar and first be reconciled with them. God would not

accept their offering until they mended their relationship.

[23] So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there

remember that your brother has something against you, [24]

leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled

to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5)

The apostle Paul reminded the Ephesians that they could grieve the Holy

Spirit by bitterness, anger and slander in their lives.

[30] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you

were sealed for the day of redemption. [31] Let all bitterness

and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from

you, along with all malice. (Ephesians 4)

We have already seen from Isaiah 63:10 that God fought against those who

grieved His Holy Spirit.

We cannot expect to have a fruitful ministry until we first commit ourselves

to live with clean hands and a pure heart. We must take the Word of God

seriously. We must teach it faithfully. We must learn to walk in obedience to

its principles. Our success in ministry does not depend on our human

strength or wisdom but in our faithful obedience. The words of Paul to

Timothy are of utmost importance:

[5] An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to

the rules. (2 Timothy 2)

If we want our efforts to bring glory to the Lord God, we must serve

according to the rules. We must walk in godliness and minister according to

the principles laid out in His Word. We cannot take any shortcuts, to do this

would disqualify us from service. We must run the race that is set out for us,

following the example of our Lord in every way.

Let me conclude with the words of Moses to the people of his day:

[46] he said to them, “Take to heart all the words by which I

am warning you today, that you may command them to your

children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this

law. [47] For it is no empty word for you, but your very life,

and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are

going over the Jordan to possess.” (Deuteronomy 32)

The word Moses shared with his people as contained in the law of God was

not an “empty word.” It was “life” for the people of God. By obedience to

that word, they would live long in the land they were going to possess.

Their success and prosperity depended on one thing alone –their obedience

to the Word of God. By disobedience, they would grieve the Holy Spirit and

remove their blessing. By turning their backs on God, they would incur His

anger. Only in faithful obedience would they find success.

For Prayer:

Father, I understand that I represent You in this world. I ask that you teach

me to be faithful to you in every way. I pray that I would reflect your

character through my obedience. Forgive me for the times I have failed to

walk according to Your Word. Forgive me for the times I have been careless

and did not consider Your ways or Your purpose for my life. Thank you that

You want me to be fruitful. Teach me not to grieve Your Holy Spirit but to

compete by the rules you have set out. May I choose to walk before you

with clean hands and a pure heart and may I know Your abundant blessing

as I live and serve according to Your Word.

OUR METHOD

12 - HOW WE SERVE

n the course of this study, we have seen that God has given a mandate

to His people. Our commission is to expand His kingdom for His

glory and honour. We are to do this through the power of His Spirit by

faith with clean hands and a pure heart. There is one more point I want to

touch on before concluding this reflection. Because we serve the King of

kings, our method in service must also comply with what we understand

about Him and His purpose. We do not use worldly techniques to serve God

or expand His kingdom. Let me conclude with a few Biblical guidelines in

this regard.

An Aroma, Not A Peddler

Consider what the apostle Paul had to say to the Corinthians:

[15] For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who

are being saved and among those who are perishing, [16] to

one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance

from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? [17] For we

are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of

sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we

speak in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2)

As servants of the Lord God, we have been transformed into His image.

Our sins have been forgiven, and we are experiencing a new life because of

the work of God’s Spirit in our hearts. We reflect the character of God in

our lives. This aroma of Christ in us touches those around us. This

fragrance will attract some and repel others. Our light shines before men

and women of this world, testifying to the power of God to change and

make us new.

As Paul speaks to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 2:17, however, he

reminded them that there were individuals who peddled God’s Word like a

salesperson selling a product. The gospel is not a product to be bought or

sold. It is a matter of life and death. We cannot belittle the cause of the

gospel by dressing it up to attract people. Anything we add to the gospel

will only take attention away from the truth.

Maybe you have heard preachers teach that if you accept the Lord Jesus,

you will be blessed and experience prosperity and richness of life. Perhaps

you have been in meetings with great music and a lot of excitement. Those

who led the service challenged you to “join the party and accept Jesus.”

Others tell you that if you come to Jesus, you will be healed of your pain

and sickness. While there is an element of truth in these statements, the

message is often compromised. In our effort to attract people, we offer a

blessing, healing and a good time but fail to communicate the reality of sin

and hell. Like those who followed Jesus to be healed and fed, when He was

crucified, they turned their backs on Him.

Those who peddle the gospel feel the need to make it more attractive and

appealing. They often do so at the expense of the truth. They compromise

the message to obtain a following. As we preach the gospel, we must never

dilute its truth. We must not add or take away from its call. The gospel we

teach and live must be clear. We must present it full strength, trusting that

because it is God’s Word, it will have its effect.

The apostle would go on in 2 Corinthians 4 to describe individuals who,

with disgraceful and underhanded ways, tampered with the Word of God:

[4:1] Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we

do not lose heart. [2] But we have renounced disgraceful,

underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper

with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we

would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight

of God. (2 Corinthians 4)

Paul does not go into detail about how these individuals tampered with the

Word of God. Nor does he describe the cunning and underhanded ways in

which they presented their message. What is apparent is that they

interpreted Scripture to suit their needs and twisted it to gain a following.

Writing to Timothy, the apostle prophesied:

[3] For the time is coming when people will not endure sound

teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for

themselves teachers to suit their own passions, [4] and will turn

away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2

Timothy 4)

The day is coming when people will no longer want to hear the undiluted

truth of God’s Word. Instead, they will gather around themselves, “teachers

to suit their own passions.” These individuals will reject inspired Scripture

and listen instead to teachers who will support their sinful cravings and

desires. These teachers will gather a following because they gave people

what they want and teach what they delight to hear.

The prophet Micah said something very similar when he spoke to the

people of God in his day:

[11] If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying,

“I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be

the preacher for this people! (Micah 2)

Paul warned Titus about rebellious people who ruined whole households

through what they taught.

[10] For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers

and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. [11]

They must be silenced since they are upsetting whole families

by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.

[12] One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans

are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” [13] This testimony

is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound

in the faith, [14] not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and

the commands of people who turn away from the truth. (Titus 1)

Notice that the apostle told Titus that these individuals were teaching for

“shameful gain” (verse 11). These teachers needed to be silenced. They

were not seeking the glory of God in what they taught but their personal

benefit.

Paul exposed those who served in the name of the Lord Jesus but did so for

their own glory. These individuals, according to Paul, were not servants of

God at all but “servants of Satan,” with evil intentions:

[12] And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to

undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in

their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do.

[13] For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen,

disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. [13] For such men

are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as

apostles of Christ. [14] And no wonder, for even Satan

disguises himself as an angel of light. [15] So it is no surprise if

his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of

righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. (2

Corinthians 11)

Faithful servants of God will reflect the aroma of Christ in all they do. They

will not distort the Word of God or resort to devious plans to gather a

following or personal benefit. Instead, they will commit to preaching the

truth without compromise for the glory of God alone.

The Mind Of Christ

The prophet Isaiah has this to say about the thoughts and ways of the Lord:

[8] For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your

ways my ways, declares the LORD. [9] For as the heavens are

higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55)

The ways of God are not like our ways. He does not think like us. Those

who serve the Lord must understand this if they are going to be effective in

ministry. We cannot do things the best we know how and expect that this

will bring glory to God. We need to have the mind of Christ if we are to

serve Him as He intends. The apostle Paul speaks of this in 1 Corinthians 2

when he told the believers:

[16] “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to

instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians

Who among us can show the Lord what to do? Is He not the source of all

wisdom and understanding? Do we feel that our human knowledge is

enough to advance the kingdom of God? According to Paul, God has given

us the mind of Christ. When we came to know the Lord Jesus as our Lord

and Saviour, something radical happened. The Spirit of God took up

residence in us and began the process of transforming us into the image of

Christ. He gave us a new way of looking at things. The old thought

processes were banished as the Spirit of God renewed our thinking.

Jesus promised when He returned to the Father that He would send the Holy

Spirit to guide us into the truth:

[13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all

the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but

whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the

things that are to come. (John 16)

The servant of God must listen to the guidance of the Spirit, who leads us

into truth. He reveals the purpose of the Father for our lives and ministries.

If we are to be effective servants of God, it is of utmost importance that we

have His heart and mind.

Understanding that we need the mind of Christ, true servants of God seek

Him in His Word but also in prayer. We pray not just to get what we want

from God but to understand what He wants. We pray for His direction and

leading. The apostle James challenges us to seek God for the wisdom we

need:

[5] If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives

generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

(James 1)

The wisdom to do what God has called us to do is available to all who will

cry out to God for it. We dare not serve without it. The words of Job speak

to all those who want to be ambassadors for Christ in this world:

[8] Have you listened in the council of God? And do you limit

wisdom to yourself? (Job 15)

All servants of Jesus Christ must seek His mind and heart in the work of the

kingdom. We must find this through His Word and the leading and

transforming work of His Spirit in our lives. Human wisdom can gather

crowds and build big buildings, but it cannot transform the heart or save a

soul.

God’s ways often do not make sense to human wisdom. He uses people

who are unqualified in their human abilities to accomplish His purpose. He

takes tragedies and turns them into blessings. He opens doors where there

are no doors. He leads us to places we would never think of going. The

work of God’s Kingdom is expanded in unusual ways. Human wisdom is

not enough to understand His methods. Only those who have the mind of

Christ can step out confidently and be effective servants for the Kingdom.

Our human wisdom will often stand in the way and keep us from walking in

obedience. God’s work must be done in His way, even when it does not

make sense to us.

Love

In 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul taught that without love, our service is

vain.

[13:1] If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have

not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] And if I

have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all

knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,

but have not love, I am nothing. [3] If I give away all I have,

and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I

gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13)

The word of the preacher who speaks without love in his heart is like a

noisy gong and clanging cymbal. I might have wonderful spiritual gifts, but

the benefit of those gifts is lost without love in my heart. He who lays down

his life with hatred and bitterness in his heart has sacrificed not only his life

but any fruit his sacrifice may have borne.

It was love that brought the Lord Jesus to this earth to die for us. Only love

can explain such a sacrifice. This same love should motivate all servants of

God. Like their Saviour, they too will be willing to sacrifice their privileges

to minister to the need of a brother or sister.

Consider the words of Paul to the Corinthians:

[8:1] Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all

of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love

builds up. (1 Corinthians 8)

Not everyone in Corinth saw things the same. Some believers were able to

eat food sacrificed to idols without any problem. To these individuals, these

idols were mere sticks of wood or carved stones. Other believers, however,

saw the act of eating food sacrificed to idols as an act of worship or service

to these idols. What were believers to do with they confronted this issue?

The believer who had the freedom to eat food sacrificed to idols could look

down on a weaker brother for not having this same freedom. Love, on the

other hand, however, built up the body. Love would respect the weaker

brother without looking down on him. Love would sacrifice its freedom to

eat rather than offend the weaker brother or put a stumbling block in front

of him.

The apostle Peter reminded his readers that love covers a multitude of sins.

[8] Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love

covers a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4)

The idea here is that love realizes that no one is perfect but loves them

anyway. Love will reach out to the addict on the street and demonstrate care

and concern. Love will respect the believer who still struggles with bringing

every aspect of their life into line with the purpose of God. Like Jesus, it

pursues the sheep who has lost its way. Love motivates the servant of God

and is the incentive behind his or her service. This love helps us to live with

forgiveness and patience. It enables us to be kind when offended or hurt.

Paul encouraged the Ephesians to be imitators of God and to walk in love

just as Christ loved them:

[5:1] Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. [2]

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us,

a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5)

No one can serve God faithfully if they are not walking in love. Jesus Christ

is the supreme example of this sacrificial love. When we serve in love, we

do not put ourselves first. In love, we become servants who willingly lay

down our lives for those we serve. This is how all service for the kingdom

is to be performed.

My God Shall Supply

There is one further detail I want to touch on concerning our method of

serving God. Listen to the words of Paul to the Philippians:

[19] And my God will supply every need of yours according to

his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4)

As we serve the Lord, we must also look to Him for the provision necessary

for the work to which He has called us. This provision is not only in terms

of strength and wisdom but also in terms of resources. Let me illustrate this

from the life of Nehemiah.

In Nehemiah 2, Nehemiah heard from a messenger arriving from Israel that

the conditions in Jerusalem were deplorable. This grieved him greatly, and

he was depressed for many days. At the time, Nehemiah was cupbearer to

King Artaxerxes. The king noticed that Nehemiah’s heart was sad and

asked him what was wrong. Nehemiah told the king that it was the result of

the news he had heard from Jerusalem.

Hearing of Nehemiah’s grief, the king asked him what he could do for him.

Notice the response of Nehemiah to this request:

[4] Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I

prayed to the God of heaven. [5] And I said to the king, “If it

pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your

sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’

graves, that I may rebuild it.” (Nehemiah 2)

The first response of Nehemiah to this request of the king was to “pray to

the God of heaven.” Only when he had prayed did he bring his appeal to the

king. This tells us something significant. Nehemiah did not depend on the

king but the Lord God.

When the king opened his hand to Nehemiah and provided him with the

resources, Nehemiah did not attribute this primarily to Artaxerxes but to the

Lord, in answer to his prayer. In Nehemiah 2:7-8, we read:

[7] And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be

given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River,

that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, [8]

and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he

may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress

of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that

I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the

good hand of my God was upon me. (Nehemiah 2)

Notice the phrase, “And the king granted me what I asked, for the good

hand of my God was upon me.” While it was King Artaxerxes who handed

over the timber, Nehemiah understood that this was ultimately the provision

of the Lord.

When Ezra the priest prepared to return to Jerusalem to assist in the

rebuilding of the temple, he proclaimed a fast and sought the Lord for the

provision and protection necessary for the journey to Jerusalem. Ezra 8:21-

23 tells us that Ezra was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers to protect

them on the way:

[21] Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we

might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe

journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. [22] For

I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and

horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we

had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who

seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake

him.” [23] So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he

listened to our entreaty. (Ezra 8)

Ezra’s confidence was in the Lord God. He refused to place his trust in the

king’s soldiers. The Lord could have used the king’s soldiers to protect Ezra

and the group that travelled to Israel. Ezra wanted to be sure, however, that

he was placing his confidence in God and not in the strength of the king’s

army.

It is easy for us to trust in other humans for our needs. When we are

involved in a ministry that requires money, we can have our fundraisers and

pleas for money. Sometimes we find ourselves looking to people for the

resources and not to the Lord. We can ask people to give us what we need,

or we can trust God to move the people of His choice to give. There is a

very subtle difference between trusting our efforts to raise funds and

trusting God. The difference, however, is significant. The Lord God

promises to provide for our needs. The Lord Jesus made this clear when he

said:

[28] But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field

today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more

will he clothe you, O you of little faith! [29] And do not seek

what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.

[30] For all the nations of the world seek after these things,

and your Father knows that you need them. [31] Instead, seek

his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. [32] “Fear

not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you

the kingdom. (Luke 12)

“It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom,” Jesus tells us.

Our heavenly Father knows what we need and will provide all we need as

we wait on Him. He will give you the strength you need. He will offer you

the wisdom required. He will supply the resources necessary. Don’t run

ahead of Him. Don’t let yourself fall into the trap of trusting people for

everything. Let God move and open the doors of His choosing. He who

calls you will also provide what you need.

It is quite possible to play on people’s emotions as we present our needs.

We can humanly convince people that investing in our project is an

excellent thing to do. This is what the world does. It is true that the work of

the Kingdom is vital work, but we must be careful to let the Lord go before

us not only to direct us but also to provide for us what He feels necessary

for the task.

Significant resources have been raised for projects that are not necessarily

in the purpose of God. Large church buildings have been erected, but those

in them do not live or preach the gospel of Christ. Sometimes these edifices

have become monuments to their founders but do not honour the Lord God.

God promises to provide for our needs as we obediently seek to fulfil His

calling on our lives. He will supply what you need for the task He has given

you. He may call you to speak to the king about letting you go to Jerusalem,

but don’t put your trust in the king for your supply. Recognize the hand of

God. He may supply your needs through individuals, but don’t put your

faith in them. Only one person is worthy of your faith –the Lord our God.

In the work of the kingdom, we dare not place our trust and confidence in

human beings. Our eyes must be on God as our provider. We do not look to

the world for wisdom. We do not find our strength in ourselves. Nor do we

place our confidence in humanity to be our supply. Our God may use

whomever or whatever He chooses, but one thing we know –He is the One

to whom we must look for all needs. The work of the Kingdom is done with

the resources God supplies. Let’s use His resources to build this work.

For Prayer:

Lord God, I ask that you examine my life and show me if there are any

motives or intentions that are contrary to your purpose for me. Give me the

grace to die to myself and seek your glory only. I know that your ways are

different from mine. Teach me not to rely on my wisdom but to seek yours.

Help me to minister out of love for my brother and sister in Christ. Show

me how to trust You and not people from my provision and strength. Thank

you that You promise to supply all my needs. Give me the grace to build

with what you have provided, and may I see your blessing because I have

been faithful with what you have given.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Light To My Path Book Distribution

Light To My Path Book Distribution (LTMP) is a

book writing and distribution ministry reaching

out to needy Christian workers in Asia, Latin

America, and Africa. Many Christian workers in

developing countries do not have the resources

necessary to obtain Bible training or purchase

Bible study materials for their ministries and

personal encouragement.

F. Wayne Mac Leod is a member of Action

International Ministries and has been writing

these books with a goal to distribute them freely or at cost price to needy

pastors and Christian workers around the world. Tens of thousands of these

books have been distributed and are being used in preaching, teaching,

evangelism and encouragement of local believers in over sixty countries.

Books are now been translated into a variety of languages. The goal is to

make them available to as many believers as possible.

The ministry of LTMP is a faith-based ministry and we trust the Lord for

the resources necessary to distribute the books for the encouragement and

strengthening of believers around the world. Would you pray that the Lord

would open doors for the translation and further distribution of these books?

For more information about Light To My Path visit our website at