We Worship by Serving the People God loves!

^{One of the ways we worship is to serve the people God loves!}

^{Over the years, I have attended many worship services, and have been lost in the presence of God as we sang to Him, drunk on His love.}

This is part, I’m sure of what Jesus referred to when He said:

John 4:23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Yet, then what?

 

Does worship end when the music stops?

If it does, how then can we fulfill: “Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind?”

No, worship is much more than the singing of songs, it is our entire life, our study, our prayer, and the things we do in our day to day lives, with Him.

Now I know that it is only faith in Jesus that saves us, but as we walk with Him, He provides wonderful opportunities to exhibit His love in practical ways in helping people.

Ephesians 2:8-10

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

For those of you who know me, you remember how God dealt with me about His love, and that I did not have to work to earn His love: https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/not-by-works-its-all-about-love/

Yet, clearly as we read this passage, Jesus love, shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, will provoke us to love people around us. If we don’t feel a thing, read with me these verses:

^{Let’s look at this teaching of Jesus together:} 

^{Matt 25:32} And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

³³ And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

³⁴ Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

³⁵ For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

³⁶ Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

³⁷ Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

³⁸ When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

³⁹ Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

⁴⁰ And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

⁴¹ Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

⁴² For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

⁴³ I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

⁴⁴ Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

⁴⁵ Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

⁴⁶ And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Don’t let the King Jimmy archaic English fool you, Jesus is very clear here. If we claim to love Him, we need to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick, the prisoner, give water to the thirsty – and how about this verse:

 

James 1:27

²⁷ Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

We need to care for widows in their distress, fatherless children (and yes, this includes orphans), and though it is not expressly spelled out in these verses, we need to care for the elderly, and those mentally and physically handicapped.

Jesus takes this stuff very personally when He says that when we help those less fortunate in our midst, we do it to Him.

ž“SERVICE” IN THE HEBREW “abodah”  MEANS WORSHIP

If you have not read the famous short story by Tolstoy, ‘Where love is’, please read it here: http://www.online-literature.com/tolstoy/2892/

Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

God is love, and if we claim to know Him, we too must love hurting people.

Let’s pray:

‘Father, forgive me for my hardness of heart. Help me to worship You, in serving the people You love, that You bring before me, each day. Jesus, I worship You in this, Amen’

 

A Cry for the Fatherless…

A Cry for the Fatherless

Titus 3: 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

As I again seek the face of God, for my support, with bills on my desk, I look upon this page, and see the needs of orphans and orphanages, that make my pressure seem like a picnic. Could it be that our loving Father has allowed my particular trial, to humble me, that I might see?

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Yes, the internet has allowed me international outreach, but the needs I see, are real, and heartbreaking.

God’s Word promises provision and prosperity, and this I teach: giving and receiving, but what about those who have nothing to give but their love and prayers.

Children, helpless to provide for themselves, destitute of daily food, proper shelter, and schooling.

James 2:14 ¶ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

As a father, when we are low on funds, or food, and I have to hug and hold my children, when I have nothing to give, my heart breaks…

How much more our heavenly Father, Creator of all life, seeing the greed, selfishness, and stinginess, that puts children into starvation, prostitution, or a life of begging.

And so I weep, questioning whether this journey of faith is in vain. At least when I had our companies, I could do something financially, however small, to give, to support, to provide in some small way to the needs before me.

And so I break before His throne, questioning if I should not rather be building some business, to try and generate money to alleviate suffering, whether or not this call to preach the gospel is a vain thing…

I will see Him, I will hear His voice, and I will obey.

Whatever He says, I will do, yet I cannot call myself a man of God, and see these needs, and not be moved to action. Now, I must know what action is the correct action…

Mt 25:35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Jesus, how would you have me to do this…?

Let’s pray:
‘Father, the poor we shall always have with us, yet you have called us to provide for them. Please show me Your heart of compassion for this, and please show me how to do my part. You are Creator, and You always provide for Your creation, yet these verses scream our responsibility to do something. Though I have nothing in terms of silver and gold, I am rich in education, strength, and passion. Show me how, to use my gifts to meet these needs, in Jesus name, Amen.’

 

Last year, clearly, God laid upon my heart to send these children money for Christmas. Above, you see the clothes they got for Christmas 2015. Now, after a full year of supporting this work almost weekly, we we able to help again with Christmas 2016. My dream, is to be able to do this for 11 more orphanages in 2017.

Jesus has need of it.

Jesus has Preeminence!

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Spoke with my friend Loyd Umber today, and he had the insight about Jesus, that whatever exists in all of Creation, or anywhere in the earth, Jesus has preeminence!
That means He has the first right of use to anything!
Which is why the disciples could untie a donkey, and state: The Lord has need of it!
Makes missions a rather exciting endeavor, in that as we go, and authentically hear God, He may well wake folks up in the night, and tell them the very same thing about our provision: The Lord has need of it! And they gotta turn some stuff loose….
Makes our obedience rather critical…
Jesus cause us to hear accurately!

 

Right now, Prasad Johnson needs $2800 to build a bunkhouse then monthly support for the 10 orphan children in his care. This need lays heavily upon my heart today.

Please help me help them – this is a legitimate need, and every penny you donate, goes directly to them.

These children are on my heart today. Need to raise $2800.00 to build a bunkhouse for each of them. Cost $50/month each. to feed clothe and school them. I never ask for money on here, and God as my witness, every penny donated will go 100% to them. Please help me help them.