Performance vs. Service - 10/14/97

Dear All,

Psalm 103:1-5,8
Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-- 3who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. … 8The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

What A Mighty God We Do Serve!

Question? Do you let God love you? or Are you to busy to let God love you?

Take a moment and evaluate your foundation in which your life and ministry is built upon. So, often in our pursuit of results, we slip into being motivated by "work" rather than God's love and grace. Let us be reminded were our power comes from.

Some of these thoughts comes from Tim Elmore's - "The Laborer's Network" & Philip Yancey "The Jesus I Never Knew"

There are two common drives that emerge when people meet Jesus.

1. We are driven to get busy to do something for Him. (like we want to repay Him or something)
2. We are driven to get busy getting close to Him.

Luke 10:38-42 (At The Home Of Martha And Mary)
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" 41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Mary is sitting at the Lord's feet and Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.

Martha was getting busy and Mary was getting closer.

Martha was doing something out of duty and obligation hopping to impress the Lord. Martha is performing.

Question? Does that sound like you?

Jesus is not impressed with her performance at all says, "Martha, Martha, (in love) you are worried and bothered about many things don't you know what is essential and foundational. Your sister is doing it - Not what your doing is wrong, but I'm not impressed with your fleshy performance."

Mary was being served first before tempting to serve the Lord. Be reminded, Mary did serve later as she anoints Jesus with perfume. Mary has gotten the love and grace first before she ever attempts to serve.

I believe God wants us to go from a PERFORMANCE MODE to SERVICE.

Definitions:

Performance:

Something done our of human obligation, contrived by human strength. Powered Humanly and leaves you very tired.

Service:

Something done out of a experience of Grace. It is a loving response to the Grace of God and His new identity He has given you. Empowered Supernaturally.

I believe we get into this mode of doing! There's work to be done! Programs to start! And Jesus says, "will you let me love you? - Will you sit still for once?"

Why? Because that love which turns into grace - empowering grace will move you and empower you far greater than any human effort could. God wants to liberate you and set you free. Why? only free people serve well.

Our service to God should be empowered by this freedom and grace we have been given. Not legalism - Not rules - But By Relationship!

We will do more under grace than rules. - More under love than law. That same grace that saved you is the same grace that Jesus wants to use to empower us.

To be lights will only happen if we are in touched with the grace of God. We must move form performance to service through the work of grace.

When I sin and do something wrong - hardly ever does God lay some type of law on me. Know what He does? He tells me He loves me. Think about the Prodigal Son. That is what pushes me to live a Holy Life and gives me the power to live a holy life.

The law is not bad, but the law does not give us one once of power to live it. It just tells us when we get it wrong. That all it can do! Only the love of God can empower us to live this life.

God's grace in mine for free because it is based upon Jesus performance not mine.

God did not save you and I so we can do something for Him. I will do something - But that's not the reason. He wants to love me.

Questions:

• Do you do what you do out of obligation, Duty, and Rules?
• Do you let God love you?

Read the following passages:

Galatians 5:4 (they left the power to live the Life)
You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (You got a throne - I've got some grace)
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

God is Good All The Time!
"He Must become greater, I must become Less"
John 3:30
Brad

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About this page contact: Mark Brumels Last Updated on Friday, December 25, 1998