This book is about the Path of Service. Serving the Lord is something that best begins in His immediate presence. When a person has served Him in His immediate presence and has satisfied His heart, He can then send that person to serve on His behalf. Serving the Lord in His immediate presence is essentially worshiping Him. It is said of the leaders of the Church of Antioch:
“While they were serving the Lord in their ministry and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then, after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them, and let them go.” (Acts 13:2-3)
Barnabas and Saul were sent from the presence of the Lord to serve Him in the work to which He had called them. They were serving in His presence when He sent them to serve in His name. All service to the Lord should begin this way.
Service to the Lord is invariably linked to resurrection life. No one can truly serve the Lord unless He, the Lord of all glory, has taken the initiative to call them to His service. This is so because those who serve Him must experience both death and resurrection with Christ. Service is the overflow of the life of God, and there can be no overflow without resurrection life.
We can do many things in the name of the Lord, but only what flows from life will remain; and for life to flow, there must first be death. A person can only serve to the extent of his death and resurrection with Christ.
Those who stray themselves from the harsh demands of the cross will find that they have also strayed from the ministry of life. A person will experience resurrection life and resurrection ministry according to the measure of his or her submission under death to the world and the flesh.
A work can be in strength and power without it being fully of the Holy Spirit. Samson did works of power, although he was totally out of fellowship with a holy God. God demands holiness from those who want to serve Him to the point of satisfying Him.
Finally, we mean that a Christian work is acceptable before Him and satisfies His heart only if it is in harmony with His will and is carried out under His direction. Any work done outside of His will and direction is not only useless, but is also an abomination before Him.
Many believers today are busy doing nothing for the Lord. They are shy, withdrawn, and lack courage and clear direction. Where are those who would dare to go at His command to take entire villages, cities, provinces, entire nations, and entire continents for Him?
My prayer is that the Lord of the harvest will use these messages to raise up servants and slaves for His glorious Son; let them begin in His presence and, under His direction, reach the ends of the world.
Lord Jesus, ignore the weaknesses and shortcomings of both these messages and the human messenger, and use them, Lord, for Your glory. Amen.
ISBN: 9782357740525