My question for you today is:Whose
slave are you?
“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.” 1 Chronicles 28:9-10
What does it mean to serve God?
Serve – to work, to become a SLAVE
, Labor ( WORSHIP)
Examples:
Joshua
“So
fear the Lord. Serve Him in faith
and truth. Put away the gods your fathers
served on the other side of the river and in Egypt. Serve the Lord. If you think it is wrong to serve the Lord,
choose today whom you will serve.
Choose the gods your fathers worshiped on the other side of the river, or
choose the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and
my family, we will serve the
Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15 (NLV)
“Now
then,” said Joshua, “throw away the statues of the gods that are among you.
People from other lands serve those gods. Give yourselves completely to
the Lord. He is the God of Israel.” Then the people said to Joshua, “We
will serve the Lord our
God. We will obey him.” Joshua 24:23-24
(NIRV)
JESUS
Jesus
said to him, “Get away from me, Satan! It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God. He
is the only one you should serve.’ ” Matthew 4:10 (NIRV) [Deuteronomy 6:13]
“No
one can serve two masters at the same time. You will hate on of them and love
the other. Or you will be faithful to one and dislike the other. You can’t
serve God and money at the same time. Matthew 6:24 (NIRV)
How should we serve God?
“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing
mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan
and thought. 1 Chronicles 28:9
Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His
presence with singing. Psalm
100:2 (NKJV)
Why should we serve God?
Ø God DESERVES
it!
But now you need no longer worry
about the Jewish laws and customs because you “died” while in their
captivity, and now you can really serve
God; not in the old way, mechanically obeying a set of rules, but in the new
way, with
all of your hearts and minds. Romans 7:6
Experience the Grace of God in your
life…..
Ø God honors
those who HONOR Him!
Examples:
o
HEZEKIAH 2 Kings 20:1- 6
Some time later Hezekiah became deathly sick. The
prophet Isaiah son of Amoz paid him a visit and said, “Put your affairs in
order; you’re about to die—you haven’t long to live.”
Hezekiah turned from Isaiah and faced God,
praying:
Remember, O God, who I am, what I’ve done!
I’ve lived an honest life before you,
My heart’s been true and steady,
I’ve lived to please you; lived for your approval.
I’ve lived an honest life before you,
My heart’s been true and steady,
I’ve lived to please you; lived for your approval.
And then the tears flowed. Hezekiah wept.
Isaiah, leaving, was not halfway across the
courtyard when the word of God stopped him: “Go back and tell Hezekiah,
prince of my people, ‘God’s word, Hezekiah! From the God of your ancestor
David: I’ve listened to your prayer and I’ve observed your tears. I’m going to
heal you. In three days you will walk on your own legs into The Temple
of God. I’ve just added fifteen years to your life; I’m saving you from
the king of Assyria, and I’m covering this city with my shield—for my sake and
my servant David’s sake.’” 1 Kings
20:1-6 MSG
o
3 HEBREW
CHILDREN Daniel 3:13-28
Furious,
King Nebuchadnezzar ordered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be brought in.
When the men were brought in, Nebuchadnezzar asked, “Is it true, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, that you don’t respect my gods and refuse to worship the
gold statue that I have set up? I’m giving you a second chance—but from now on,
when the big band strikes up you must go to your knees and worship the statue I
have made. If you don’t worship it, you will be pitched into a roaring furnace,
no questions asked. Who is the god who can rescue you from my power?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King
Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire,
the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you
might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of
difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold
statue you set up.”
Nebuchadnezzar, his face purple with anger, cut
off Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace fired up seven
times hotter than usual. He ordered some strong men from the army to tie them
up, hands and feet, and throw them into the roaring furnace. Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, bound hand and foot, fully dressed from head to toe, were pitched
into the roaring fire. Because the king was in such a hurry and the furnace was
so hot, flames from the furnace killed the men who carried Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego to it, while the fire raged around Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm
and said, “Didn’t we throw three men, bound hand and foot, into the fire?”
“That’s right, O king,” they said.
“But look!” he said. “I see four men, walking
around freely in the fire, completely unharmed! And the fourth man looks like a
son of the gods!”
Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the roaring
furnace and called in, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the High
God, come out here!”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked out of the
fire.
All the important people, the government leaders
and king’s counselors, gathered around to examine them and discovered that the
fire hadn’t so much as touched the three men—not a hair singed, not a scorch
mark on their clothes, not even the smell of fire on them!
Nebuchadnezzar said, “Blessed be the God of
Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego! He sent his angel and rescued his servants who trusted in him!
They ignored the king’s orders and laid their bodies on the line rather than
serve or worship any god but their own. Daniel 3: 13-28 MSG
Abednego! He sent his angel and rescued his servants who trusted in him!
They ignored the king’s orders and laid their bodies on the line rather than
serve or worship any god but their own. Daniel 3: 13-28 MSG
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