Is 55:2
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy].
Man, made in GOD's image and likeness can only find true satisfaction through HIS creator.
Even the unsaved find worldly fame, recognitiona, and material wealth, not to be satisfying. After gaining all the world can offer they still feel empty.
Eccl 3:11
He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.
Men feel empty because we have an eternal spirit that can only be fullfilled with an eternal relationship with its maker. Man is hungry for and thristy for spiritual things, because we are spirtual beings.
John 4:14
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."
The sum total of everything we are about can be found and defined in our service to and for the LORD. Whatever we choose to do, no matter how small and no matter how large, our aim is to do all to the Glory of GOD.
1 Cor 10:31
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
However , we must fully understand that any of our own "good deeds" of service, never could be qualified, to purchase our salvation. Therefore ,the idea that GOD weights our deeds, and then determines if we are fit for salvation is woefully false. Jesus paid for us in FULL, we have nothing to pay. The debt was NOT cancelled, it was PAID IN FULL.
1 Pet 1:18
knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
1 Pet 1:19
but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
Our service to the LORD comes out of the salvation experience. This salvation experience, as we well know, is facilitated completed through the mercy and grace of GOD, Our Father.
Titus 3:5
He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity and mercy, by [the] cleansing [bath] of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
BUT, once we are saved, preparation for service begins. God's mandate is that we all serve. Ministry is not an option, it is NOT solely to be done by the preacher or the pastor or the bishop. Do not be deceived the LORD GOD wants you to follow HIM and following Jesus can not be done in the stands we must be on the field of play
Matt 10:38
"And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me
We are a body and every part of the body has a role that benefits the entire body. You are not saved and were not saved to sit on the sidelines.
1 Cor 12:27
Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.
I have found that we have to be careful in our roles. We must find the place the LORD has for us. Often ,I have seen church folk overwork a few and the masses contributing in a limited way. Find a place of balance when serving Jesus.. Please remember, HIS burden is easy, His yoke is light. We are not to serve outside the provision and grace of GOD..
Matt 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
Matt 11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.
Serving Jesus is a work lead by HIS Spirit. Work motivated by carnal desires actually hinder the purposes of GOD.
Men or woman called of GOD, are not bringing Glory to the name of Jesus by neglecting their families and other obligations.
If you are someone who truly desires to serve the LORD, it is most likely due to the LORD planting that desire in your heart. We want and desire to act in unison with the church, the Body of Christ.
Because we are saved, we have the very spirit of obedience, that causes us to want to please GOD. Our new nature seeks GOD in order to be fulfilled and to obtain satisfaction..
Pet 1:2
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
As you have just read, GOD's Spirit sets us apart from the world and cause us to want to please HIM.
Christians , those of us who have been born again, have taken on a heavenly nature, yes a heavenly nature. The term born again can also be translated born from above. Our desires come out of a new spirit and a new heart.
Ezek 36:26
"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezek 36:27
"I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
Prior to salvation, we had a leaning towards sin, an appetite, if you will to sin. Our appetite now is towards Godliness and towards obedience to the faith.
1 John 3:9
No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God's nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.
We are now new creations, with new heavenly citizenship our allegiance is to our faithful creator whom we rightfully call Our FATHER..
Eph 2:5
even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Eph 2:6
and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Our destiny, our purpose, is wrapped up in pleasing the LORD, who saved us.. so we choose to serve GOD. Our service is fully designed to fulfill both the plan of GOD, and the purpose of GOD.
The Plan of GOD:
Eph 4:13
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
God's plan is really about getting us to a place of maturity, so that we can serve others to bring them to a place of maturity... so,.... they can serve others and then bring others to a place of maturity.... Why.. so that we can fully know HIM.. the more we are like HIM the more Jesus can have fellowship with us and we can fellowship with HIM.. BUT even more than that.. .
His purpose:
Eph 2:22
In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you yourselves also are being built up [into this structure] with the rest, to form a fixed abode (dwelling place) of God in (by, through) the Spirit.
You are a living stone being shaped and prepared to be a part of the very dwelling place of GOD HIMSELF.. AND this my friend is WHY we serve JESUS
1 Pet 2:5
you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
