We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

There are some things good but not pleasant, as sorrow and affliction. Sin is pleasant, but unprofitable; and sorrow is profitable, but unpleasant. As waters are purest when they are in motion, so saints are generally holiest when in affliction.
William Secker

“Growth in grace” pleases God. It may seem a wonderful thing, no doubt, that anything done by such creatures as we are can give pleasure to the Most High God. But so it is. The Scripture speaks of walking so as to “please God.” The Scripture says there are sacrifices with which “God is well-pleased.” (1 Thes. 4:1; Heb. 13:16.) The husbandman loves to see the plants on which he has bestowed labor flourishing and bearing fruit. It cannot but disappoint and grieve him to see them stunted and standing still. Now what does our Lord Himself say? “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.” - “Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:1, 8.) The Lord takes pleasure in all His people - but specially in those that grow.
J.C. Ryle

    • Gift of Serving

    Posted on 

                                       GIFT OF SERVING

    BASIC MOTIVATION DEFINED
    Motivated to demonstrate love by meeting the practical needs of others.

    AMPLIFICATION
    Is expressed by action and not by words.  Is exercised under the leadership of
    Christ, in the strength of the Spirit, and for the glory of God. (1 Pet. 4:11)
    The server detects personal needs of others and overlooks personal discomforts
    in order to meet those needs.

    CHARACTERISTICS OF ONE EXERCISING THIS GIFT
    1.  The ability to recall specific likes and dislikes of people.
    2.  The alertness to detect and meet practical needs.  Especially enjoys manual
    projects.
    3.  The motivation to meet needs as quickly as possible.  He doesn’t want to go
    through red tape.
    4.  Physical stamina to fulfill needs with disregard to weariness.
    5.  The willingness to use personal funds to avoid delays.
    6.  The desire to sense sincere appreciation and the ability to detect insincerity.
    7.  The desire to complete a job with evidence of unexpected extra service.
    Just doing a job is not enough, they want to do it extra well.
    8.  An involvement in a variety of activities with an inability to say “no”.
    9.  A greater enjoyment of short-range goals with frustration over long-range goals.
    10.  A frustration when limitations of time are attached to jobs.

    DANGERS IN EXERCISING THIS GIFT
    1.  Being proud of his good deeds.
    2.  Being pushy or premature in meeting the needs of others before they realize
    their needs.
    3.  Becoming bitter when deeds are not recognized or appreciated.
    4.  Over-emphasizing practical needs to the neglect of basic spiritual needs.

    MISUNDERSTANDINGS
    1.  Quickness in meeting needs may appear to be “pushy”.
    2.  Avoidance of red tape may result in excluding other from jobs, and “going
    around others”.
    3.  Their disregard for personal needs may extend to their own family’s needs.
    4.  Eagerness in serving may  prompt suspicion of self-advancement.
    5.  May react to others who do not detect and meet obvious needs.
    6.  Insistence on serving may appear to be rejection of being served.
    7.  Desire to sense sincere appreciation may result in being easily hurt.
    8.  Quickness in meeting needs may interfere with spiritual lesson God is teaching
    those with needs.  (Often we learn most through suffering.)
    9.  Emphasizing the need to meet practical needs may be judged as lack of interest
    in spiritual matters.
    10.  Their stamina may be interpreted as insensitivity or impatience with others
    helping.
    11.  Enjoyment of short-range goals may result in leadership positions and frustra-
    tion or disorganization with long-range objectives.
    12.  Inability to avoid others needs may result in sidetracking employer’s directions.

     

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