Have you ever sent your child, servant or subordinate on an errand to perform a task who shows unwillingness to do so? Imagine such a child, servant or subordinate murmuring or frowning his face and reluctantly left to perform the task. He came back after a while with the job well done but not without his frowning face, murmuring lips and dragging feet. How will you feel towards him though he performed the task well?
On the other hand, you might have found yourself in a situation where your boss, parent or pastor asked you to do something at a time when you are not willing or in a mood to do such, though you wished to do it. Since you couldn’t disobey him, you eventually went ahead to do the job against your will, having a feeling of being forced to do it. Can you really do it with excitement, and derive fulfilment and satisfaction? I guess the whole time you spent on the job will be miserable just because it was done with lack of interest.
In my years of service to God, I’ve seen and heard Christians times without number complain about their work for God. It is obvious from their words, actions and lifestyle that they are not doing the work willingly. They murmur about the time they spend for church service, meetings, choir practice, and others. They complain that the church/ministry work is affecting their work, business, family, leisure and social life. The truth is that this attitude is harmful to their progress and will not benefit them at all. A careful look at their life will show you how stagnant and unproductive they are. It is high time such attitude is dropped.
God’s commandment is this “Do all things without murmurings and disputing”. Philippians 2:14. When you murmur or complain, you disobey God; and He is not pleased with anyone who does so! Any labour that is done with such attitude is wasted and has no reward.
Dearly beloved, do not be carried away with so many church activities that are not beneficial to your spiritual growth, be diligent to do the work with a perfect heart. Graduate from the class of those who complain about anything they do in church, so that your labour will not be in vain. The next time your pastor or leader ask you to do something, endeavour to do it heartily, cheerfully, willingly, as unto the Lord. Are you a pastor, Sunday school teacher, children minister, chorister, usher, missionary, church member? Whoever you are and whatever you do for the Lord, do it with understanding. Do not murmur. Do not complain; for God loves a cheerful giver. He will surely reward your labour of love.
But how can you really work for the Lord your God with understanding? How can you take up responsibilities in ministry without complaining? How will you spend several hours in leaders’ meetings that affect your business time without murmuring? The answer is right there in the word of God and we will discuss this together in the second part of this message. I love you.
– segun eshorun
Different Approach, Better Results Bible Reading: Proverbs 23
Right from my school days, I discovered the time when I have the best assimilation when reading my academic materials. You will hardly find me reading my books during the day or at night, but anytime between 12am and 4am is my time. In fact, I usually tell myself that one hour reading during my time is equivalent to eight hours reading at other times. I religiously followed my “reading time” throughout school and I was able to excel in school. Let me ask you this question – if I want to also excel in life, when do you think is the best time for me to read my bible?
An average believer is quick to conclude that bible reading should be done just after you get up from bed in the morning or just before you go to bed at night. However, I have observed that I encountered greater insights when I read the bible at my time. What is your own reading time? What is the time when you are most mentally alert to assimilate information? Do you read your bibles at such times?
If we can handle the bible studiously and seriously for 6 months the way some of us handle our academic materials, we will be amazed at the spiritual development that will occur in our lives. I recently read a book written by Rev. Ade Adebayo and titled “Enjoying my Bible” and I was really touched by this statement – “… if our serious academic volumes, professional materials, and other valuable literatures were handled the way we handle the bible, many would have experienced uncompromising, dismal and permanent failures”. Isn’t that true? Do we not spend hours burning the midnight candle just to pass a professional exam, whereas we never spend quality time reading the book that addresses all life’s examinations?
My concern for modern day Christians is that they will agree with everything I have written here. Some may even go further to list out scriptural references that I should have quoted. But many are not in the habit of practicing what they have attested to. Beloved, we already have many believers who can only pant and rant these things and we are not interested in increasing their number. We want believers who will take a decision to approach their bibles with more seriousness. We want people who would spend quality time developing a godly mindset in order to exhibit godly actions and experience good success daily.
– tope aladenusi