HOW TO FIND GLADNESS IN SERVING GOD
Psa 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.
There are misconceptions that if anyone decided to serve God, he should be prepared to live a sad and boring life. Serving God is a great privilege and must be rendered with excitement and enthusiasm. Our sacrifice and self denial to sinful life actually lead us to a blissful and enjoyable life. On the contrary, a life spends in worldly and sinful pleasures of the world usually end up in misery.
To be joyfully and happily serving God, people must have these 5 elements to enjoy Christian service.
I - YOU MUST HAVE FAITH IN A PERSONAL GOD
The happiest people in the world is not the wealthy or famous, not the scientist or men of high positions. Happy people are those who found their hope in God not only for this world but including the world beyond.
Faith is the source of strength and joy
1Pe 1:6 So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while.
1Pe 1:7 These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold-and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
1Pe 1:8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
1Pe 1:9 Your reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls
Faith is God’s requirement for us
eu 10:12 "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 and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
II - YOU MUST BELONG TO A CHURCH GROUP
From the very beginning God understand that "It is not good for the man to be alone. (Gen 2:18) We can live in paradise full of provisions, but we can never be happy if we are living in isolation. For this reason that God created family, church and community where in we can contribute our ability and feel that our lives matter not only for ourselves but for others.
Unity with other people creates joy and gladness that the writer of Psalms said:
Unity in worship
Psa 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
Unity in service
Zep 3:9 "For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, That they all may call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him with one accord.
Unity of the Spirit
Eph 4:3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Unity in love
Col 3:14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
III - YOU MUST EXPERIENCE SPIRITUAL GROWTH
To be stagnant is dull and boring, but to be active and happy required growth and development. Service to God can be full of fun and excitement if we keep on growing in the knowledge and experience in God.
Grow in grace and knowledge
2Pe 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever! Amen.
Spiritual Maturity
1Pe 2:1-3 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
IV - YOU MUST FIND YOUR SIGNIFICANCE BY SHARING YOUR TALENT AND GIFT
We can also serve God by serving other people. And the best way to serve people is to use our God given specialties. God gave us special gifts to contribute to our community. Happy people are those who found their significance by sharing their gifts and talents for the benefits of others.
Pro 18:16 A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.
There are no useless parts. Every members are important in the Body of Christ
Rom 12:4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,
Rom 12:5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.
Preaching
Rom 12:6 God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you.
Serving and teaching
Rom 12:7 If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching.
Encouragement
Rom 12:8 If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously.
Leadership and kindness
If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
Compassion
Rom 12:9 Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good.
Rom 12:10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Enthusiasm/Excitement
Rom 12:11 Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Joy/Patience/Prayer
Rom 12:12 Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.
Helping hand
Rom 12:13 When God’s children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.
Blessing
Rom 12:14 If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.
Friendship
Rom 12:15 When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow.
Harmony
Rom 12:16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
Dignity/Testimony
Rom 12:17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.
Peace with all people
Rom 12:18 Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.
Rom 12:19 Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, "I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it," says the Lord.
Rom 12:20 Instead, do what the Scriptures say: "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you."
Victory/Goodness
Rom 12:21 Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.
V - YOU MUST FULFILL YOUR LIFE’S MISSION AND GOAL
Our life’s fulfillment comes from accomplishing our God given mission. Unless we find and finish our life’s purpose, we can never find happiness and satisfaction.
David served his purpose in life
Act 13:36 For David, after he had served God’s will and purpose and counsel in his own generation, fell asleep…
Jesus work to fulfill his life’s mission
Joh 9:4 "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
Christians are commissioned to do our task
Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Harvest of Joy had been promised to those who fulfill their God given task
Psa 126:5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.
Psa 126:6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SERVING GOD WITH GLADNESS
Reward
Col 3:24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
Healing
Exo 23:25 "So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.
Blessing
Deu 11:13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today-- to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul--
Deu 11:14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil.
Deu 11:15 I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.
THE PERSONAL CHOICES:
Jos 24:15 "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Jos 24:21 And the people said to Joshua, "No, but we will serve the LORD!"
Jos 24:22 So Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD for yourselves, to serve Him." And they said, "We are witnesses!"
CONSEQUENCES OF NOT SERVING
Deu 28:47 Because you did not serve the LORD your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity,
Deu 28:48 therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the LORD sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.
If you have been blessed, encouraged or inspired by this sermon then it’s your turn to be an encouragement too. You can do it by sending email to this contributor at spy2rb@yahoo.com or post comment on the discussion box below.
