The Joy of Serving God by Luther

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12: 1 NIV

Martin Luther explained Romans 12:1 in this way:

“A lawdriver insists with threats and penalties; a preacher of grace lures and incites with divine goodness and compassion shown to us; for he wants no unwilling works and reluctant services, he wants joyful and delightful services of God.”

On Those Disappointing Days

Yesterday was rough. I was very angry several times for different reasons. I could not find what I needed. Some tasks I had planned to do were not working out. By the evening, I felt like the day was wasted.

Today, like most mornings, I started my day journaling and studying the Bible and praying.

As I opened my journal, I saw an asterisk next to my last entry for yesterday morning. (Whenever God seems to be speaking loud and clear to me about something, I put an asterisk next to that journal entry.) Yesterday, I had marked a quote from a footnote in my Bible: “When the unexplainable and unwanted intrude into our lives, we can find comfort in . . . [God’s] sovereignty.”

I suddenly realized I had totally forgotten God’s morning lesson to prepare me for yesterday! This morning, He gently reminded me I had not prayed throughout each setback as they came my way. I had been doing things “on my own” and was very frustrated with the results.

How much better if I had given the day to God. The circumstances may, or may not, have changed, but I would not have been frustrated. The day was His to do as He pleased.

He had a reason for showing me that quote yesterday; He wanted to prepare me for the day that was ahead for me! Sometimes I learn best by looking back and learning from my mistakes, but it would be wiser, I would think, to be prepared for what lies ahead.

Meeting With the King

If you are a believer, I urge you to give your relationship with God priority in your life.

I highly recommend What’s Your God Language? by Dr. Myra Perrine as a tool to help you grow in your love and trust in God, your Creator and King.

This poem paints a beautiful picture of what fellowship with God can be:

“In this secluded place I meet a King.
He comes alone to drink reality
With me. Sometimes we talk, sometimes we sit
And sip a life that passes by the crowd.
An inwardness is born—a felted thing
Of power—a commonality—of grace
A union where unmended hopes are knit
Where silence roars as quiet sings aloud.
Oh Christ, I love it here! It is our place.
Speak Lord or not. Touch me or not. Show then
Your will or bid me wait in patient grace.
Fill all my hungry need with joy again.
With simple loaves of bread and chaliced wine
Heaven, earth, and all of God are mine.”

Quoted by Dr. Perrine from Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, on page xv of her book.

“One Master”

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” ~ Luke 16:13 NLT

“Just watch a child standing before a selection of candy after he has been told he can have something. Perhaps he ends up just looking. . . and looking. Maybe you see him reach for one thing, only to pull his hand back and start for another. What is the problem? Does the child not like candy? Certainly not! The problem is that the child likes all kinds of candy! It’s hard to choose one thing when your appetites and tastes draw you to many things. Every follower of Jesus faces the same challenge. Jesus puts it succinctly: You cannot divide your loyalties. You can have only one prevailing passion, only one master.”

Quoted from a footnote in the Discover God Bible, Luke 16:13 NLT, p. 1885.

The Discover God Bible will help you know God more deeply. Packed with 9,000 study notes, as well as articles and guides to Biblical teaching and themes, this Bible will help you see God as He is revealed in the Scriptures and also help you respond to Him and discover purpose in your life.

Bill Bright, said, “We can trace all of our human problems to our view of God.”

This Bible was born from that conviction.

To buy a copy for yourself, visit the Resources of the Discover God website or order from your favorite book supplier.

Whose Hands?

“I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands,that I still possess.” ~ Martin Luther

When God Will Judge

Two men owned farms side by side. One was a bitter atheist, the other a devout Christian. Constantly annoyed at the Christian for his trust in God, the atheist said to him one winter, “Let’s plant our crops as usual this spring, each the same number of acres. You pray to your God and I’ll curse him. Then come October, let’s just see who has the bigger crop.”

When October came, the atheist was delighted because his crop was larger. “See, you fool,” he taunted. “What do you have to say for your God now?”

“My God,” replied the other farmer, “doesn’t settle all his accounts in October.”

God’s compensation for both believers and unbelievers is usually deferred. But a day is coming upon all men, when the announcement from heaven will ring out, “The time has come for judging … and for rewarding” (Revelation 11:18). This will be the “appointed time” of judgment (l Corinthians 4:5). “At the proper time,” Paul says elsewhere, “we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” So he encourages us, “Let us not become weary in doing good” (Galatians 6:9).

From In Light of Eternity by Randy Alcorn, page 129

The Dinner Plans

“Whenever you give to someone who is helpless or needy, you are serving Jesus and, in turn the Father. In addition, I can tell you from personal experience that serving those who can’t repay you brings the deepest satisfaction.

“Several years ago, Vonette and I were about to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I was trying to think of a special, elegant place to take her that would express how important she is to me. I wanted it to be a meaningful evening.

“But . . . after discussing the plans with Vonette, we agreed that instead of going to an elegant hotel . . . we would serve meals to the homeless. We knew a friend who ran a kitchen for the homeless, so he arranged for us to go.

“Soon after we arrived, we were given our assigned places in the serving line, and people began walking by cafeteria -style. Right away I noticed that these people carried an air of defeat. No on e looked me in the eye. I found myself identifying with them. I thought, But for the grace of God, what happened to them could happen to me, and I began to weep.

“I served for an entire hour with tears streaming down my cheeks. I thought about the compassion Jesus had for people as He ministered to them. I recalled . . . Matthew9:36: ‘[Jesus] felt great pity for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn’t know where to go for help.’ The experience . . . gave me a deeper compassion for people who are less fortunate than I am. “

–[Excerpt from Discover the Real Jesus by Bill Bright, pp. 107 -108]