Service: February 19, 2010

February 19. TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2010.

SERVICE

DEFINITION:

An act of serving; duty performed or needs supplied; a religious service.

SCRIPTURE:

“Be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart.” I Samuel 12:24.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

God chose Moses to be his instrument to establish God’s law and commandments with the nation of Israel. The Israelites were all descended from Abraham through the family of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham.

For some 400 years the Israelites had lived in Egypt where they worshipped many gods. Moses became God’s instrument to teach the Israelites how to serve the one and only true God. God began by giving Moses the Ten Commandments. For the first time as a nation they had a leader who could help them know God and understand what God expected of them.

In his first message of instruction, Moses said to the people. “O Israel, what does the Lord God ask of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul.” Deuteronomy 10:12.

To put it simply, what God wants from us is reverence for Him, obedience to Him, love for Him and to serve him with all of our heart and soul.

After the Israelites had conquered the Promised Land, Joshua repeated to them the same message that Moses gave them as it is written in Joshua 22:5. Nothing has changed since Moses’ and Joshua’s time. God expects the same from us today.

All those that love the Lord and are obedient to Him will want to serve Him. God has not given us all the same gifts or the same means of service but whatever God has given us to do, we should do it joyfully and wholeheartedly, as it reads in Colossians 3:23, “and whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not for men.” No matter how menial the job, if you do it with the attitude that you are doing it for the Lord and for His glory, you will find blessing and satisfaction in doing it.

There are many other references in the scriptures concerning our responsibility to serve God. Psalm 100:2 tells us to serve the Lord with gladness. In II Timothy 2:1-2 Paul tells Timothy to be strong in the Lord and to teach the faithful men the things that he has heard and learned so they will be able to teach others as they serve the Lord. Paul also warns Timothy that when one serves the Lord he must endure hardships as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Our parents encouraged us at an early age to serve the Lord in all that we did. To us serving the Lord meant two things. First we served the Lord by our daily actions. Our words and deeds needed at all times to honor our Lord so others could see Christ through us. This is really a challenge to most people to do today but this is what God wants from us.

Secondly, serving the Lord meant that we were to give some of our time to the Lord. We were taught to volunteer for serving when available and needed. Possibly you need to evaluate areas where you could serve the Lord by volunteering. Some can deliver meals to those that are sick; some can visit hospitals to encourage those going through health problems. Possibly you could go as a team to a senior citizens home and visit and sing to them.

We know of professionals today, like doctors and dentists that give two weeks of their time and pay their own expenses and go to a third world country to work in a clinic that desperately needs help. Serving the Lord is a privilege for those that love the Lord. It is also a responsibility that we have as believers.

If you are not spending time serving the Lord, we encourage you to begin now. You can begin by teaching a Sunday school class or be a helper in a church youth group. Serving God will strengthen your faith and you will be blessed.

Often our place of service is right in our home or among our family members who need help.





LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 2:8-9.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast.”

PRAYER:

Give me a heart of service today. Help me to serve You with all my heart and soul. No matter what I have to do, help me to remember to do it gladly without complaining so that I may bring glory to You.