SERVING IN THE HOUSE OF GOD!

Rom 12:1-8, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, {which is} your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, {each of us is to exercise them accordingly:} if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” NASB

Rom 12:1-8, “I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, {and} beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service {and} spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, {even} the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate {and} think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him. For as in one physical body we have many parts (organs, members) and all of these parts do not have the same function {or} use, So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ (the Messiah) and individually we are parts one of another [mutually dependent on one another]. Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them: [He whose gift is] prophecy, [let him prophesy] according to the proportion of his faith; [He whose gift is] practical service, let him give himself to serving; he who teaches, to his teaching; He who exhorts (encourages), to his exhortation; he who contributes, let him do it in simplicity {and} liberality; he who gives aid {and} superintends, with zeal {and} singleness of mind; he who does acts of mercy, with genuine cheerfulness {and} joyful eagerness.” Amplified

1 Pet 4:10-11, “As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), employ it for one another as [befits] good trustees of God's many-sided grace [faithful stewards of the extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians by unmerited favor]. Whoever speaks, [let him do it as one who utters] oracles of God; whoever renders service, [let him do it] as with the strength which God furnishes abundantly, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever (through endless ages). Amen (so be it).”

Ex 35:30-35 36v1-4, “And Moses said to the Israelites, See, the Lord called by name Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; And He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability {and} wisdom, with intelligence {and} understanding, and with knowledge and all craftsmanship, To devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, In cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, for work in every skilled craft. And God has put in Bezalel's heart that he may teach, both he and Aholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with wisdom of heart {and} ability to do all manner of craftsmanship, of the engraver, of the skillful workman, of the embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet [stuff] and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of those who do or design any skilled work. BEZALEL AND Aholiab and every wisehearted man in whom the Lord has put wisdom and understanding to know how to do all the work for the service of the sanctuary shall work according to all that the Lord has commanded. And Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab and every able {and} wisehearted man in whose mind the Lord had put wisdom {and} ability, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work; And they received from Moses all the freewill offerings which the Israelites had brought for doing the work of the sanctuary, to prepare it for service.”

We all have God ordained purposes/ ministries/ duties or things that we need to accomplish.
It is our responsibility to find out God’s purpose for our lives
There is divine enableness/ or grace that God’s has given us to accomplish His purpose
We need to develop or perfect the ability or gift/ talents that God has given us
Being faithful and practicing or exercising the small gifts we have will develop them
We are all supposed to be useful / productive and be assets in the house of God
We need to find out and pursue God’s purpose for our lives not what we fill like or want
You do best when you are in the position that God created you to be in than being where you want
We are the body of Christ and parts of the body don’t all have the same function
We are not all called to be pastors or have public ministry
If you do not have a public ministry, you need to serve under other (your) leaders in the house of God

Our calling or gifting is not limited to what we think are seemingly spiritual things
Some are called or skilled to be engineers, ushers, musicians, teachers, decorators, counselors, intercessors, givers, administrators, exhorters, children church ‘s teachers, out reachers, writers, librarians, deacons, builders, helps, etc
Bezalel was not a prophet in Israel but God anointed him to do art work
Docus was not an apostle or pastor in the house of God but she was an asset and valuable in the church by sowing and giving widows clothes. After her death those who benefited from her talent cried and the church had to look for Peter to raise her from the dead. She had something to be remembered for. What can you be remembered for? What can people hold and even pray God to raise you from the dead because of?
We are only told that Luke was a doctor / physician and we do not hear about him preaching or teaching but Paul speaks well of him. Colossians 4v14, 2Timothy 4v11 Philemon 24

Do the “little” that you can, be faithful and excel in it, God will reward and promote you.
If you cannot be faithful in little, you cannot be trusted with much, Luke 16v10-12
People many a times loose out God’s best because of wanting a name for themselves. If God has not sent you to be in public ministry or to start your ministry, serve under your leaders. What is better to serve under somebody and be an usher or Sunday school teacher of 100 people than be start your own ministry and pastor 5 people?
Commitment, diligence, faithfulness, dedication, submission will increase the anointing in your life.

You may not be recognized or known by others or by leadership but if you faithful in serving at that which God called you, you will be rewarded and sooner or later you will be recognized. (Give my example that when I came to Lobengula, I was not known, people even called me “Michael” or “Michael’s boy” because they did not know my name. Even Pastor Gegana once asked me when I greeted him at Tm Hyper and tried to introduce myself as “Michael’s boy”, “Why are you not coming to church?”)
People may sometimes not recognize your importance or the gift that you are having. Do not push things or fight to be recognized.
When you are assigned to do something, be quick and diligent to respond, do not say, “This is not my area or this is too low for me.” For instance, I do not like counting money, but the fact that part of my responsibility as church committee vice chairman involves counting money, I do it.

At the same time I am not saying you need to do everything by yourself. There was a time when I was 1. cell group chairperson 2. youth committee secretary 3.young man’s fellowship chairman 4. all cell group leaders secretary 5.social needs committee chairman 6.Sunday school teacher. Sometimes if you do everything you might end up destroying yourself whilst again the main cause for one person to do a lot of things will be others not being available.

As part of the body of Christ, as Lobengula BICC, we need people who will give and avail themselves to serve in; ushering, stewardship, Sunday school teaching, volunteers, out reaching, decorating, cleaning, intercession, giving, counseling, exhorters, cell group leaders and many other responsibilities that may arise.

We need people who will give themselves to the leadership and God to serve. Not complicated people, not “special” people but people willing to serve in any level that may be assigned. 2 Corinthians 8v5