SERVANTS OF GOD

i am moved by a verse in Exodus. It is about being a bond servant to death, doulos. It is about loving our Lord and Master so much that we could never leave Him. Actually choosing to never leave him and to serve him and him alone forever.

"And if the servant shall plainly say, i love my master, my wife and my children, i will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges, he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the doorpost and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul and he shall serve him forever." Exodus 21:5-6

What a picture of servanthood and faith and love this is to me. We who are free of the sin nature, that word free is eleutheroo in the Greek, which means to make free, deliverance from sin, liberate. We who believe and have faith in the shed blood of Jesus on the cross and choose to serve Him, who profess Him and walk daily the narrow way of righteous repentance, we are these servants. We are set free from our sin nature to be the servants of our God. The servant or Doulos in the Greek, indicating subjection without the idea of bondage, the free bondservants of God, of our Lord and master Jesus the Christ. Dependant upon Him for every need, great and small, servants to Him in all we do. We choose, and we choose every day. We daily pick up our cross, we daily pray and search the scriptures, we daily go from him and for Him. What a joy there is in Him. What a wonderful and awesome God we serve.

God never promised us a perfect life or one without trials (1 Peter 4:12) and afflictions (Psalm 34:19). He never promised to change our circumstances. But He promised to meet our every need if we seek Him first (Matthew 6:25-34). He promised to be with us always (Matthew 28:20). That we are blessed who have not seen but believe (John 20:29). i could go on and on of the promises of God, of His goodness, mercy and grace. Of the incredible wonders and miracles He does in every day life. No, they are not always these great big earth moving events, but they are there just as surely as i sit here writing this page. And i am humbled and brought low when i think that i rightly deserve eternal damnation in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, yet by the mercy and grace of God (Ephesians 1:7) i have eternal life.

There is of course the issue of choice and which master we choose to serve, God or the Devil, we cannot serve both, we must choose. We must make our declaration of servanthood. We must choose. For our adversary the Devil is real and seeks to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). And even though Jesus came as the light of the world, men choose darkness...(John 3:19). They love their sin more than Jesus.

"No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24

Mammon is rendered in the Greek as mamonas, meaning riches, that which is to be trusted, treasure. So now read these verses...treasures.....

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

also for your consideration...

"Neither yield (give way to) your members (any part of the body including the senses and thoughts) as instruments (rendered in the greek as arms or weapons) of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." Romans 6:13 (see also Romans 6:16 and Romans 6:19)

The Word of God holds so much eternal treasure and the unsearchable riches of God. i love the Lord. Time is short and the days are evil. Get into Gods word, study it, devour it...hide it in your heart that you may not sin against him...Psalm 119:11. Search its depths daily...Acts 17:11. Be ready for the Lord's return...and pray...pray...pray...amen..amen and amen...