Malachi 3:13-15-“Your words have been harsh against Me,” Says the Lord, “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’
You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord of hosts?
So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; They even tempt God and go free.’”
An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years.
He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a
set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%.
The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor
said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that
you can hear again." The gentleman replied, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit
around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three
times!"
What does God hear you say about Him?
What does God hear you say about serving Him?
What does God hear you say about serving others?
Most people want other people to think they have a servant’s heart, but those same people don’t want to be treated like a servant!
I am sure there are some here today, that have said, “You can’t treat me like that!”
Remember, we are serving others, but ultimately we are serving God!
We all would agree that because God has been so kind, gracious and merciful to us, that no sacrifice is to great, no service to hard, to honor and glorify the name of Christ!
Some people stop serving because they don't see any benefit.
You hear people say, “I give and I give and I don’t get anything in return!”
I been going to church and tithing, but my problems don’t go away!”
The famous one…”Good people suffer and evil people go unpunished, what good does it do to be good!” or “It doesn’t pay to be good!”
1 Corinthians 15:58-Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
There was a missionary couple who served 30 years in Africa and arrived home by ship. It so happened that there happened to be a very important diplomat on the same ship. When they arrived in New York Harbor, the bands were playing; Great crowds were cheering. The red carpet was rolled out for the diplomat. And the diplomat walked down the gang plank onto the red carpet, where he was warmly greeted and then whisked away in a shiny limousine.
The missionaries had been standing on the deck waiting for all this to transpire so they could disembark. When finally they did, there was no one to greet them, and they walked into the busy streets of New York. The man was quiet and meditative, and then he said to his wife: It doesn’t seem quite right. This diplomat gets all the attention and applause from hundreds of people. Red carpet treatment, a speech of welcome, and a limousine. And here we are after all these years of serving on the mission field . . . we arrive home and there is no one to meet us. No one to pick us up . . . no car to whisk us away. It just doesn’t seem fair. His wife was quiet for a moment, and then she put her arm around her husband, and she said: "But dear, we’re not home yet."
Earth is for work, heaven is for wages!
This world is for the battle, there is another world for the crown!
This is the time for employment, and eternity will be our enjoyment!
There was a man and his wife who was on their first day of their vacation. And on the highway there was 18 wheeler’s tire tread scattered everywhere and the car in front of them hit one of these pieces of tread.
It hit the front of the car and busted the windshield and they pulled over and so did another car and so happened it was highway patrol. He said he seen what happen and I think something is leaking underneath your car. They were middle of nowhere. He told them to follow him. They went down the road for about a mile and there was a mechanic's shop. The officer went and talked to mechanic and the mechanic lowered the car off of the ramp and had them to drive their car up on the ramp, he checked everything out and said the piece of tire tread had busted the windshield washer container. He said, it would be ok to drive it to town, were they could get it fixed. The man asked what is the charge? The mechanic replied, just go to church the next two Sundays.
The man replied, “I will, but that is a strange payment.”
The mechanic said, “I know when people get broke down on the highway, they can’t afford to pay a mechanic, but they can afford to go to church!”
The mechanic was using opportunities to be a servant to God and to man!
Philippians 2:14-15-Do all things without complaining and disputing,
that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
An elderly Christian lady who was a shut-in.
She had two daughters, both Christians, who came by to clean and
help out. Both made everything shine, but the first daughter left the
impression that her task was an awful burden. The second daughter
was cheery and made her mother feel loved. Both daughters did the
same task, but the first did it out of duty alone. The second did it
out of love for her mother. Her motive made all the difference.
God wants us to serve Him out of jubilation, not out of obligation!
The Israelites were going thru all the motions, sacrificing, tithing, but they weren’t giving their best, they weren’t giving from their heart!
What about you, are you giving God your best!
Is serving Him a pleasure or a pain?
