God’s Promises: About Serving Him

Colossians 3:23 (NIV) says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

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by Carley Cooper 

This winter has been long and very cold here in Canada.  Even though we are the land known as “The Great White North”, many will agree that we’ve had way more than our fair share of the white stuff this year.  Every time we think we have had the last storm, another one happens.  When will it come to an end?  Where’s summer?! 

Oh Those Winter Blues!

Winter is a very depressing time of year for so many people.  It’s really hard to be cheerful about much of anything when the days are so dull all the time.  However, God’s word says that we are to be cheerful in all that we do.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (ESV) says “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Do not quench the Spirit.”  Not only that, but Colossians 3:23 (NIV) says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

I know what you’re thinking “God doesn’t get it!  It’s impossible to stay happy all the time.  And in everything we do, serve God?  That sounds like I’m supposed to be in church worshiping every day.  I don’t have time for that.  I have a busy life to lead.”  So with all this in mind, how do we deal with long depressing times like winter?  How do we circle our life and activities around God?

God’s Promises are Good

We do it by focusing on His promises to us, and keeping an eye on serving Him.  Working for the Lord with all that you do doesn’t mean just doing “religious stuff.”  I have many things that I do that are intended to be for God in my heart.  I volunteer in the church office one day per week.  I enjoy it, I love my church, and I really want to do this work for Jesus to help create an atmosphere filled with the Holy Spirit for us to worship and fellowship in. 

Granted that is a church thing, but it doesn’t have to be.  For example, once per year, during tax season, I go help my friend who is a tax consultant.  That’s where I am right now.  He is a disabled man with a home-based business.  During the months of February to April each year he is swamped with work.  So I go out of town to Scarborough and I stay with his family for a week or two to help dig him out of the pile of paperwork he’s buried under.  I do this because he’s my friend, I know the work and I can help him without being trained, he needs an assistant, and I need the extra income.  However, despite all this, I do it for God.  I keep a cheerful heart under the workload, and I do it because it is also a ministry to God. It is a form of worship when I do it for no other reason than I love God and He wants me to do it. 

Spring is indeed coming!

The Bible tells us that we cannot serve two masters.  We cannot serve both God and the world (Matthew 6:24 NIV).  We are to serve God only (Matthew 4:10 NIV).  God gave Moses the Ten Commandments as the rules we are to follow if we want to serve Him fully and effectively; and He expects us to do it whole heartedly (Joshua 22:5 NIV). 

Doing things with a whole heart can be hard though.  It can seem like those long, cold, dreary winter months.  Those difficult periods will no doubt show up in our life, but that’s the enemy telling us lies.  I could go with that and let myself believe those things.  However, I could just as easily believe God.  I can help my friend out with his tax clients for the money; or even for the fantastic Portuguese food that I get while I’m there.  But that wouldn’t be right.  My focus wouldn’t be on God then.  The money and the cuisine are bonuses.  I like to think of them as blessings for doing the work. 

Our whole lives; body, mind, and soul are to be given to God as a living sacrifice to Him.  When we live our lives as such, our minds are renewed and we will find what is good, acceptable, and the perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2 NIV).  Whether we are volunteering in our church office, helping out a friend, or simply going about our regular daily lives, focusing on God will bring happiness.  So when times look down and dull,just remember long, cold winters have come and gone many times throughout history.  This one, will come to an end soon as well. 

Let’s Pray

Dear God ~~ Wonderful, loving Father.  Even though it’s hard for us to see sometimes You created everything in this world to be a blessing to us in some way… even winter!  Thank You for that.  Please help me do everything with a whole heart, focusing You and Jesus.  I pray in Jesus name, AMEN

Now It’s Your Turn

Thoughts?  Questions?  Want to share your story?  Ask for prayer? Please share in the comments section.

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Great Writers Series: Serve

~~ 1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV1984) ~~  Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.   

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by Carley Cooper

Yay!  I made it to the end.  It’s the fifteen, and final, habit in the 15 Habits of Great Writers challenge.  The habits we talked about were: Declare, Believe, Initiate, Practice, Prepare, Steal, Start Ugly, Build, Connect, Share Others Work, Declutter, Provoke, Publish, and Brand.  The final habit of great writers, our challenge host, Jeff Goins, tells us is to Serve.    

He says “It takes more than words to make a writer great.  A great writer is selfless.  He doesn’t look to his own needs, but finds a way to help others.  He’s a servant.”   I read that statement in the daily challenge email and my first thought was “Wow.  That’s the description of  a disciple of Jesus.”  He continues on to say that “One of the biggest questions other writers ask me all the time is, “What do I write about?”  The wrong answer is whatever you want to write about.”  We are to write for ourselves but with the purpose of serving others. 

This description is what Worship Melodies is all about.  I pray, and try very hard, with each and every post, to let God lead me.  He even picked out the website theme!  This is one way that I choose to do a ministry to Jesus; to use my talent for words, that He gave me, for His purpose.  I want to do my part to further His kingdom, to fulfill my responsibility as His disciple by spreading the gospel.  Showing others, who are on their own road leading to God, my insight or how I have overcome a speed bump they’re currently caught on is how He has led me to help other people.  

I am helping others, which means I am serving them, but I am doing that because I am serving Him first.  I didn’t have to ask “What do I write about?” because I knew the answer already.  I write about God’s Word.  The old saying “write about what you know”, and a book called If You CanTalk, You Can Write by Joel Saltzman, led me to write about my life, and how I am trying to understand and apply God’s Word.  When people see that others are going through problems similar to their own, they don’t feel so alone.  It’s not only the habit of a great writer to be selfless, it’s the habit of a great human being.  It’s what we are called to be if we are to truly live according to how God wants us to live.  Helping others through writing about the Bible gives me a never ending source of subjects to write about.  Literally.  There is nothing that we need to know about in this lifetime that God doesn’t answer for us in the Bible. 

The challenge for today was to serve the reader by being generous.  Do this, Goins suggested,  by giving away a product or service (which, as it turns out I just did recently in my Birthday Gift Give-Away), or to write something important and give it away as an ebook (again, this was something I’ve already planned.  I have a couple of ebook projects started, and ideas for a couple more.  They are just not completed yet). 

I have made it to the end of this challenge.  I am happy about that.  It’s been enlightening, encouraging, and challenging.  Each day in this series has  shown me that I am on the right track, which is confirmation from God that He is indeed leading me.  Every day has also taught me a lesson, which I have in turn used to help others by writing about it; which means singing His praises, and thereby fulfilling Worship Melodies purpose.    

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~~ Dear God ~~  Thank You for the gifts of enlightenment, encouragement, and for the challenge.  Serving others as a way to serve and honor You is a blessing.  Please continue to lead me on this journey, and I pray that I will get closer to You with each and every day.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

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