Thoughts by Forest R. Steenfott
Introduction:
We have asked this question many times as we walk with the Lord. “What is the will of God for me?” Most of us are thinking about our education, careers, spouse, what church we should attend, etc.
Matthew 22: 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
I believe that the Lord Jesus put first and foremost the worship of God Almighty, Matthew 22: 37 – 38. The Lord used the word “love” the Lord your God. The first section of this writing will be on worship. The Lord and the Apostles did not give a clear precise declaration on how to worship, but in study of the Old and New Testaments there comes through what is worship of God.
Secondly, Matthew 22: 39 – 40, goes into our love for others. We will in depth go into our relationships with others. There is a great need in the church today in respect to our lack of love for fellow Christians, which in turn affects our witness to the world.
Thirdly, each believer in Jesus Christ has a priestly job to perform that of a holy priesthood and royal priesthood.
1 Peter 2: 5 You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ……………………………….9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
The conclusion of these matters will be God’s requirement for each of us. This is brought out by two Old Testament passages.
Ecclesiastics 12: 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Micah 6: 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
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First, the Will of God is Worship of the True and Living God.
Jesus said,
“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4: 23-24
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty! God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, Holy, Holy! All the saints adore Thee, Casting down their golden crowns around glassy sea: Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee, Which wert, and art, and ever more shalt be.
Holy, Holy, Holy! Though the darkness hide Thee, Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see, Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee Perfect in power, in love, and purity.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! All Thy works shall praise Thy name, in earth, and sky, and sea; Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty! God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!
(I) You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind:
What is worship? Here is a good definition. Worship is to feel in your heart and express in some appropriate manner a humbling but delightful sense of admiring awe and astonished wonder and overpowering love in the presence of that most ancient Mystery, that Majesty which philosophers call the first cause, but which we call Our Father Which Art in Heaven. A. W. Tozer
Few have mastered the art of worship as did F. W. Faber. To read some of his hymns and poems is a rare experience of worship.
How wonderful, how beautiful
The sight of Thee must be,
Thine endless wisdom, boundless power
And awful purity.
O how I fear Thee, living God,
With deepest, tenderest fears,
And worship Thee with trembling hope
And penitential tears.
Hear him again as he is lost in adoration:
Only to sit and think of God,
Oh, what joy it is!
To think the thought, to breathe the Name,
Earth has no higher bliss!
Father of Jesus, love’s Reward.
What rapture will it be,
Prostrate before Thy throne to lie
And gaze, and gaze on Thee.
The heavens declare Thy glory, Lord, In every star Thy wisdom shines;
But when our eyes behold Thy Word, We read Thy name in fairer lines. Isaac Watts
In Thee most perfectly expressed, The Father’s glories shine, Of the full deity possessed Eternally divine. Worthy, O Lamb of God art Thou, That every knee to Thee should bow. Josiah Conder
As we enter the subject of the will of God for us in respect to our worship of God, the knowledge of this places a deep responsibility on us. We happily live our lives knowing that “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). I’m saved from hell, so now I can live my life any way I please. Not so! Consider the tenth verse of Ephesians two, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
First Peter 1:
13 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
1.
because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”
To gain a better perspective of these verses from First Peter, you must read the whole chapter. The hymn “Take Time to be Holy” speaks to the truth of our intimacy, love, adoration, devotion and obedience to our Master the Lord Jesus Christ—Forest.
“Amazing Grace—366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions, By Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, copyright 1990.
The valuable guidelines given in this hymn for living a holy life are just as pertinent for believers today as they were when William Longstaff wrote them more than a century ago. God still requires a holy lifestyle for His people. We sometimes confuse holiness with piety, which can be merely a hypocritical goodness that masks inner deceit or impurity. A truly holy or Christ-like life reveals the virtues mentioned in Second Peter 1:5-6: Goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. We are surrounded today by so much sham and insincerity that we are often unconsciously affected by such influences. To maintain the quality of life that Gos demands, we must determine to take time to develop a life that is genuinely and consistently holy in every area.
William Longstaff, though financially independent, (son of a wealth English ship owner) was a humble and devout Christian layman and a close friend and supporter of the Moody-Sankey evangelistic team that stirred England with great revival campaigns during the late 19th century. After hearing a sermon on 1 Peter 1:16—“Be ye holy, for I am holy”—with reference to the book of Leviticus from which it was originally taken, young William began to make the achievement of holiness his life’s goal. Although this was his only hymn, these words have since been an invaluable influence for sincere believers everywhere who truly desire to live a genuine Christian life.
Take Time to be Holy
William D. Longstaff, 1822-1894
Take time to be holy. Speak oft with thy Lord; abide in Him always and feed on His Word. Make friends of God’s children. Help those who are weak, forgetting in nothing His blessings to seek.
Take time to be holy. The world rushes on; spend much time in secret with Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus, like Him to be; thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
Take time to be holy. Let Him be thy guide, and run not before Him, whatever betide. In joy or in sorrow still follow thy Lord, and, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
Take time to be holy. Be calm in thy soul—Each thought and each motive beneath His control. Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love, thou soon shall be fitted for service above.
Please take these admonitions in this hymn to heart and make them a part of your life. You will have a peace and joy the world cannot give. Secondly, you have a guarantee, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
Intimacy Is Nourished by Worship: Exodus 34:5-8, 29-30 (please read)
In the act of worship, God communicates His presence to His people. That is borne out by the experience of Dr. R. A. Torrey, who girdled the globe with his revival-kindling evangelistic missions. He testified that a transformation came into his experience when he learned not only to give thanks and petition, but also to worship—asking nothing from God, occupied and satisfied with Him alone. In that new experience, he realized a new intimacy with God.
What is true worship?
You say, "I go to worship once a week. That is Sunday morning. I don't go to Sunday evening worship. I want to spend some time with the family and go to bed early, so I can get up early Monday morning and hit the freeways before everybody else does." You say that worship is an hour Sunday morning and you attend it. Friend, I don't mean to offend you, but that is as far from the truth as one can get. It is not how much time you spend at church. That can be part of worship, but attendance is not worship. Here is a simple definition. Worship is my personal adoration and active envelopment with my God and Savior. Let us go to God's word and truly see what worship is in Christ’s own words.
Let us now listen to the Lord Jesus. What is true worship of God the Father? John 4: 23-24, Jesus said, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. GOD IS A SPIRIT; AND THEY THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH."
What is worship? What is faith? What is love? Or what is truth? It is hard to define these words. Jesus said, "I AM the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14: 6. Well we have the answer to what is truth in respect to worship. Jesus Christ is the personification or the embodiment of what is truth. You notice that truth is involved in worship. We can not rightly worship the Father without having the Son. 1 Corinthians 1: 30, "But by His (God the Father) doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,” Jesus said, "no man cometh to the Father, but by me." So you can see that only those that are in Christ Jesus or Christ Jesus in them can rightly worship God. You must have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior and have been born again.
Worship the Father in Spirit with in the community church service:
Now worship in Spirit. The answer to this I believe is Ephesians 5:18-21, "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, (1) speaking to one another in psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; (2) Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father, (3) and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ,"
"To be filled with the Spirit,” means to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. We act according to His divine will. This is stated in regards to the gifts God give His people. 1 Corinthians 12: 11, "But all these things worketh that one and the very same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will."
(1) Our worship to God must be Holy Spirit controlled or it is not worship. "God is Spirit!" This type of worship will be seen in our music. You can't sing when you are holding a grudge with someone. I mean singing with enthusiasm as unto the Lord. We are to sing the praises of God.
(2) "always giving thanks for all things" Next testimonies. That means telling and living before the church how grateful for God's working in your life. I regret that we don't have more testimonies in our services. This is because we don't live our lives under the resources of God. We work for our money, buy houses and land, and have a good retirement plan. We ask, "Why do I need God, but to be saved from hell after I die?" We don't have a testimony of God providing for our needs. You see testimony of God's grace is worship.
(3) "be subject to one another" This is where I feel that the church today falls very short of this goal. Business is the way of life in most of our churches. The goal is to have large congregations with many staff members. We go to church Sunday after Sunday, but don't make lasting relationships with others or with God. We miss a Sunday and no one misses you. You find that in smaller churches others know everyone in the church. They share with one another. Personalities some time clash, but that is part of learning to be subject to one another. That is worship, too.
You see that these verses speak to worship in Spirit and in truth. I believe that worship, "in Spirit and in truth" needs to be taken even more personal than what is seen from Ephesians 5: 18-21. Are we in submission to God's will in our lives? This must be part of worshipping God in truth.
Consider the fullness of the Holy Spirit in worship within the Family Relationships: Ephesians 5: 22 – 6: 4. Please Read
In the Workplace and Career Relationships: Ephesians 6: 5 – 9 Please Read
There are three issues covered in these Scripture passage. Verse 18 speaks to all three issues, “Filled with the Spirit.” “Filled” means to be “controlled” by the Holy Spirit of God in our community worship, in our family relationships, and in our job or career relationships. That pretty well covers our day to day life experiences.
What I'm trying to say is that our character and manner of life is to be in worship of God. We are in worship of God 24 hours a day. Right? Why I say that in Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ,” and Ephesians 2: 6, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus;” and First Peter 2: 9, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a people of His own, that ye should show the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” no matter what we do or where we are at any moment we are in the presence of God.
There is one more ingredient that cannot be left out. This is the highest calling to worship. Without it worship is only so much form or mere religion.
Worship is our praise to God!
Praise is really a form of communication. Not to others about us, but to God. This communication is called prayer. Prayer has several ingredients to it. Praise, adoration along with petition and intercession. All has to do with worship. God is our source. In all things, He is the provider. We say, “Father, Holy is Your name, Your will to be done in our lives here on earth, provide our daily sustenance, we interceding for others who may have abused us, and lead us through the fires of troubles.” This is to be the very depth of our worship, which became part of us while still young in the faith. We wanted to live for our blessed Lord. So we followed the rules of the Book. We had an inner joy and peace while living under trials and tribulations. The Ephesians passage was our model and we did live by it.
Worship is the loving ascription of praise to God, for what He is in Himself and in His providential dealing. It is the bowing of our innermost spirit before Him in deepest humility and reverence.
Worship can be Wordless
David adjured his soul: “My soul, wait in silence for God only” Psalm 62: 5). The deepest feelings often cannot find adequate express in words. Between intimate friends there can be comfortable silence. There are times when words are unnecessary, or even an intrusion. So in our communication with God. Sometimes we are awed into silence in the presence of the Eternal.
A Single Word can enshrine a Wealth of Worship
When the disconsolate Mary was weeping outside the empty tome, she turned and saw Jesus but did not recognize Him until “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’
She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, ‘Rabboni! (John 20: 16). In that single word compressed all the passionate love and reverent worship of a devoted friend and follower.
In Thee most perfectly expressed,
The Father’s glories shine,
Of the full deity possessed,
Eternally divine.
Worthy, O Lamb of God art Thou,
That every knee to Thee should bow.
Josiah Conder
The question then arises: How can I get to know better and more intimately the Christ who reveals the Father? Primarily through the Scriptures as they are illuminated by the inspiring Holy Spirit. They are rich with material to feed and stimulate worship and adoration.
(II) And the second is like it ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
There is a section in John’s first Epistle that takes up the issue of our love for others. I am going to enlarge this bold statement in regards to: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Please go over this Scripture passage very carefully if you desire to obey the will of God for your life.
First John 4: 7 – 21
Verse 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
Verse 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
Verse 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Verse 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
Verse 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
Verse 19 We love Him because He first loved us.
Verse 20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen
21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
Verse 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
John was admonishing fellow Christians to love one another. This does not mean for us to use hypocrisy in the matter of love. Our love must be genuine. This kind of love for others give us the assurance of our salvation, “everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
Verse 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
God’s love is unfathomable; it has no limits and shows no impartiality. Is that the kind of love you have for others? Here is a Scripture passage that applies to this very thing, Give some serious thought to the matter of your love toward fellow Christians.
Hebrews 10: 24 – 25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,” really gives no options. “Let us” is really a command. We are to edify, to build up not tear down. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,” is the proof of our love. Many call this backsliding. The next two verses make this unacceptable.
26 – 27 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
“If we sin willfully,” means apostasy or abandonment of a previous loyalty: Defection. The expression of this begins by, “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.” You may ask, “What’s the big deal?” Here it is, “there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.”
Verse 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
This rejoices my heart, “that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. “Propitiation” means a covering. Apostle John spoke of “propitiation,” also in this epistle.
1 John 2: 1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
His covering for our sins does not give us a license to sin. Apostle Paul said, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” (Romans 6: 1 – 3). God imputed Christ’s righteousness to us.
Verse 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
I don’t know how it can be clearer than that. Here it is in Romans 5: 8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Verse 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
This confession is more than, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Roman 10:9). It has to do with our witness of the Gospel of Christ Jesus to others. The Son of God gave a direct command to His church to be, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28: 19 – 20). The Lord Jesus finished the command with, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” The “witness” is described, “"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1: 8).
Only the Son of God could provide for man’s deliverance from the penalty of sin, which is death. The Holy Spirit abides in the believer to empower for this witness. You ask what has love got to do with our witness? Everything! Our witness for Christ without love will end no where. Christ changes lives, without our love for God and man, our witness is futile.
Verse 19 We love Him because He first loved us.
Yes, “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them,” but eagerly serve our master, because, “by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2: 8 – 10).
Verse 20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen
Here are some very hard words that we must truthfully face. Apostle Paul speaks to this very issue, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12: 18). He is recognizing the fact of our humanism, but that is not a good excuse to retaliate to wrongs done to us. We may take the course of verse 19, “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” This statement comes from Deuteronomy 32. Truthfully you do not wish God’s wrath on anyone. The 20th and 21st verses should be your desire, “Therefore, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
The Lord Jesus spoke of this very issue in His Sermon on the Mount, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink.” (Romans 12: 20). “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away” (Matthew 5: 38 – 42).
There are 12 New Testament verses with the words “love one another.” These verses all speak as commands. There is no support for a Christian to hold grudges.
1) John 13:34: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
2) John 15:12: This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
3) John 15:17: This I command you, that you love one another.
4) Romans 13:8: Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another, for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
5)1 Thessalonians 4:9: Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
6)1 Peter 1:22: Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart.
7) 1 John 3:11: For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
8) 1 John 3:23: And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
9) 1 John 4:7: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
10) 1 John 4:11: Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12) 1 John 4:12: No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us.
13) 2 John 1:5: And now I ask you, Lady, not as writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.
All of this of what I have said speaks directly of the second great commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” You are not given any options in respect to this commandment. He has all the right to make this commandment, because He is the Son of God incarnate in the flesh as Jesus, and again, “We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4: 19).
(III) You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2: 5
The Priesthood of the Believer
This may come as a surprise to you, but being in Christ Jesus, you are a priest. You may say that, “I am not a pastor, missionary, deacon or elder, Sunday school teacher. I don’t have a ministry.” My beloved Believer, you are wrong. Remember, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2: 10). That goes for you and me, brother. We are His workmanship, and have a major task that God has appointed us to. For the particular ministries you were talking about have Scriptural requirements to do such ministries. The only requirement to be a priest is to be a born again believer in Jesus Christ. Even your pastor is a priest with the same assignment as you have. Christian ministries must have these qualifications. Acts 6: 1-6; 1 Timothy 3: 1-10; Titus 1: 5-9
The believer priest is a holy position. This speaks to character and conduct of life. This is brought out by Peter in his first epistle, “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but (redeemed) with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1: 15 – 19).
The believer is saved by God’s grace not by our works, but after we are saved we maintain good works for witness of Jesus Christ. “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men” (Titus 3: 1 – 8).
To the Work of the Ministry of the Holy Priesthood:
1 Peter 2: 5 You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house (His workmanship), a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices (good works) acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (His workmanship and good works Ephesians 2:10)
The Priesthood speaks of spiritual sacrifices. These are not to be thought of as being redemptive sacrifices. Only Jesus Christ could sacrifice Himself for our sins. There is absolutely nothing we can do to gain our own salvation.
What then are these “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ?” The very first and foremost after becoming a believer is to be baptized. The great commission given by Christ Jesus was to make disciples and to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul baptized his new converts right away, according to the Acts of the Apostles.
The second is vitally important, too, the sacrifice of ourselves. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen. (In light of who God is and what He has done to save mankind,) I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” (Romans 11:33 – 12:1)
Notice a few things about this sacrifice. It is not a dying sacrifice in the physical sense. It is acceptable to God and for spiritual service. It is a total matter of giving ourselves to God. Apostle Paul speaks of himself in this respect, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2: 20).
To begin with in respect to being a priest of God we must have a right attitude of mind. This comes first in performing the office of priesthood. It revolves around the attitude of pride in ourselves. Take stock in these Scripture passages.
Psalm 51: 17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
Philippians 2: 5 – 9 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.”
1 Corinthians 1: 26 – 31 “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption;
31 that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.’”
I spoke about “spiritual sacrifices,” which are “good works.” The epistle of Hebrews tells what these works are all about. They really come about through the second great commandment, which we covered earlier, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” We are not only commanded to love, but it is also part of our priestly ministry.
Hebrews 13: 13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
We may have to bear Christ Jesus reproach while trying to help others. The first of our good works is speaking forth the praise of God. Let others know of your praise for God’s goodness under your trials and tribulations. We all walk through trouble times such as, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over” (Psalm 23: 4 – 5). Your hurts and trials are to be a witness of God’s care and faithfulness to you. You are not in that valley alone, God is at your side. He is preparing a table before you that others may see your faith. Now praise God for using you as His witness. We are different than the world. We are in the world to glorify God, but we are not of the world.
The next works are from the 16th verse. I believe that, “to do good and to share” are two different matters.
“To do good,” means honesty, truthfulness and accountability in you acts with others. In other words no lying on your taxes, or cheating on your spouse. You should have a reputation that you follow through on projects that you take on. Your character is one of reliability and truthfulness
“To share,” is one that we generally have a hard time with. This has to do with our money or time. Apostle John mentions this very thing in his first epistle.
1 John 3: 16 “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
James 2: 14 “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
(IV) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
The Royal Priesthood of the Believer
“Royal” speaks to a government or national position. We entered a new kingdom when we took Jesus Christ as personal Savior. The believer priest is a governmental position, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1: 13 – 14).
The Believer Is an Ambassador for Christ
“Knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” (Romans 6:6). Once again, we must have knowledge of our standing or position in Christ Jesus. This verse, Romans 6:6, goes hand in hand with 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature, the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” This verse, along with the next four verses, gives each believer a work to be done.
I have deliberately been dwelling on good works when it comes to matters of faith and practice. These are the DO’s from the outcome of the Gospel, not the DON’T’s. We are of a Holy and Royal Priesthood. The works from being a priest are: “Through Him, then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Hebrews 13:15-16). Then the other works we are to do: “Namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).
I want to speak to the fact that we are ambassadors for Christ. Let me make a statement that I made earlier about the priesthood of believers; the ambassadorship is not mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament regarding church administrators. There is nothing in the spiritual gifts about it. Every one of us, brethren, is an ambassador for Christ. You and I in our lives must represent Christ Jesus. What, then, are we to do? Going back to our passage in 2 Corinthians five, verse 19: “namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” That is our business. We are in a new and heavenly kingdom. All of us are priests and ambassadors for Christ.
1 Peter 2: 9 – 12 “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
There is a narrative in the Gospel of John the twelfth chapter. It is about two sisters and a brother, whom Jesus loved, “1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.
2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.
3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.”
“A pound of very costly oil of spikenard”
There is a hymn that is sung often in our churches. The name of the hymn is “Take My Life, and Let It Be Consecrated, Lord to Thee.” The third verse of the hymn goes, Take my lips and let them be filled with messages for Thee; Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold, not a mite would I withhold.”
“Anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair”
I’m going to take this next Scripture passage out of context, but the point is there. Jesus spoke these words. Read this passage carefully.
Matthew 25: 31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”
What ever we give of our resources to help others in their need, is the same as giving to the Lord Jesus, Himself.
“The house was filled with the fragrance of the oil”
Let us put it this way. Each of us should be so in tune in doing the will of God in respect of our love for Him and to other round us, that we give off the sweet fragrance of Jesus Christ.
WHAT REALLY COUNTS?
Author Unknown
Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. It was a cowboy's life, a life for someone who wanted no boss. What I didn't realize was that it was also a ministry. Because I drove the night shift, my cab became a moving confessional. Passengers climbed in, sat behind me in total anonymity, and told me about their lives. I encountered people whose lives amazed me, ennobled me, made me laugh and weep. But none touched me more than a woman I picked up late one August night.
I was responding to a call from a small brick fourplex in a quiet part of town. I assumed I was being sent to pick up some party gores, or someone who had just had a fight with a lover, or a worker heading to an early shift at some factory for the industrial part of town.
When I arrived at 2:30 a.m., the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away.
But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked to the door and knocked. "Just a minute", answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened.
A small woman in her 80s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.
"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. "It's nothing", I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated". "Oh, you're such a good boy", she said.
When we got in the cab, she gave me the address, then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?" "It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.
"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice". I looked in the rearview mirror. Her eyes were glistening. "I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor says I don't have very long." I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me to take?" I asked.
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.
I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. "How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse. "Nothing," I said. "You have to make a living," she answered. "There are other passengers," I responded. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. "You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said. "Thank you."
I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.
I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?
On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life. We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware—beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.
PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID...BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.
Author unknown.
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