WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO SERVE GOD?

​Every year I am approached by many people offering their sevices to the Frontline Fellowship. “I want to work for the Lord”, they say. Or, “I’m called into full-time service”. Or, “I want God to use me in His Service”.
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My first reaction used to be joy and excitement, for truly, “the harvest is large and the workers are few”, however, for every hundred who voiced their desire to enter Christian service, only a few would make it and, even then, the amount of those who “putting their hands to the plow” look back and give up is depressing.

​There are many Christians who want to serve God “full-time”, but very few who are completely surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. They want to win the world for Christ but cannot wake up an hour earlier for prayer and devotional Bible study. Many are willing to die for Christ on the mission field, but cannot give up smoking and die to self!
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I have all too often had the unpleasant task of dismissing a worker from the Mission. Dishonesty, laziness, disloyalty, selfishness, inefficiency, carelessness and even immorality, take their toll of would-be Christian workers. How can a Christian claim to serve Christ when his lifestyle serves the devil? I am tired and sick of "full- time Christian workers” who don’t work that hard, certainly not “full-time”, and whose lives are not Christ-honouring. The slack, lazy half-hearted efforts that some want to dish up as a “sacrifice” to Christ is disgust ing. I can do in a month what some have crammed into a year of “full-time service”.

Friends, if we want to serve Christ, we must be “dedicated and useful to the Master, ready to be used for every good deed.” 2 Timothy 2:21.

There are many who want to be workers for Christ, who have not got the self-discipline to hold down a steady job. Surely we cannot offer to Christ’s service what has failed at everything else? The Lord deserves our most hard-working, wholehearted best — not the lazy and undisciplined rest.

Another important area is that of training. Every occupation and career requires training. Why is it that so many Christians think less of the Lord’s service than of a secular employment? Would you trust a sincere “Doctor” who had felt it unnecessary to undergo medical training?

Do you want to serve Christ? Do you love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, strength and mind? (Mark 12:30). Do you find joy in studying the Word of God, meditating on it day and night? (Psalm 1:2). Are you determined to obey the whole Word of God, being careful not to neglect any part of it? (Joshua 1:7). Do you reject the advice of evil men (Psalm 1:1), refusing to be a people-pleaser? (John 5:44). Are you willing to work hard (1 Cor 15:58), patiently enduring hardships, troubles, difficulties, insults and dangers, often going without food and sleep, making sacrifices for Christ? (2 Cor 6:4-10).

Do these Scriptures echo the cry of your heart?

“With all my heart I try to serve you,. . . I keep your law in my heart so that I may not sin against you.” Psalm 119:10,11

“O God, you are my God, and I long for you. My whole being desires you; like a dry, worn out and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you.” Psalm 63:1

“My deep desire and hope is that I shall never fail in my duty, but that at all times, and especially just now, I shall be full of courage, so that with my whole being I shall bring honour to Christ, whether I live or die.” Philippians 1:20

If your answer to all of the above questions is an unqualified “yes”, then you are probably ready for the Lord’s service. If not, then you must go on your knees before God and search the Scriptures with an open heart, repenting of all your sins and surrendering every area of your life to the Lordship of Christ.

“Seek your happiness in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desire.” Psalm 37:4