Ministering to the Lord

OUR FIRST MINISTRY IS NOT outward but upward. Just as the priests of the Old Testament ministered to the Lord, we are to do so also as seen in the book of Acts and here in Ezekiel:

“But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me; and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 44:15 KJV).

Much so-called service for Him is simply following our natural inclinations. We have such active dispositions that we cannot bear to stay at home, so we run around for our own relief. We may appear to be serving believers, but all the while we are serving our own flesh and self-interest.

Ministering to the Lord includes worship, praise, and thanksgiving. This is the practical outworking of intimacy. It is giving back to the Lord all that we have received. The conditions basic to “ministering to the Lord” are drawing near to Him and standing before Him. It is only as we draw near to Him that we can minister to Him. You who are leaders need to particularly consider this. Can you be persuaded to call a halt and not move for a little while?

Ministry to the Lord is confined to a certain place: “They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge” (Ezekiel 44:16 KJV).

We also see in the Acts 13 passage above that the Holy Spirit commissions men to the work as they are ministering to the Lord. The work of God is God’s own work, and not work that you can take up at your pleasure. Men cannot send men to work for God. The authority to commission men is not in the hands of men, but solely in the hands of the Spirit of God.

“Serving the Lord does not mean that we do not serve people, but it does mean that all service to people has service to the Lord as its basis. It is service God-ward that urges us man-ward.” — Watchman Nee

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Purchase the Entire Devotional – “Experiencing Christ as Life and Leader” 

The devotion above was taken from the 52-week Devotional entitled “Experiencing Christ as Life and Leader”.

Many give a mental assent to this teaching yet are often asking, “What do I do? What does Christ as life look like?“ Too often Christians err by moving too far to one side or the other—reducing the Christian life to a list of do’s and don’ts, or they actually do nothing.

These inspiring weekly devotions are just some of the actions that reflect the life of Christ in each of us, and they explore four areas as we follow the One Leader, Jesus Christ –

  • A Foundational Focus
  • A Personal Focus
  • A Relational Focus
  • A Missional Focus

Be challenged, encouraged, and spurred on to a deeper walk with Christ.

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