I have written a lot about being weak and relying on God, and not much about doing things for Him. Doing is very important, but it must be seen in the right light, the right context, otherwise it can be very harmful.
Most of what I have written about weakness and relying on God has been based upon the writings of Paul; and yet when we look at the book of Acts, we realise that Paul was a man that accomplished many great things for God. He travelled thousands of miles, converted thousands of souls, helped and taught many churches. James writes, "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" James 2:20. So how are works related?
Paul provides a wonderful answer in 1 Corinthians 2. "And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." v. 3-5. This is the key: that whatever we do stems out of the power and guidance of God. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." 2 Cor. 4:7. An earthen vessel needs to be filled; we too need to be filled with the power of God if we are to accomplish anything for Him.
We are called to be the salt and light of the world; that certainly will not happen by us sitting down our whole lives and doing nothing. The works that we are called to come in a huge variety. They can be in a church ministry; they can be outside of it. They can be as large as addressing a crowd or preaching a sermon; they can be as simple as helping a friend in need. They can be as challenging as evangelising to non-believers; they can also be as simple as comforting someone who is down, or praying for someone. There are many, many things out there that we can do for Him. And when God presents us with things to do, we must approach them with all the passion that we have. "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." Colossians 3:23.
But we must go trusting not in our strength, but in His. We must go empty- empty of what we think is our own strength, empty of our own wisdom, empty of our own motives, empty save for God’s strength, God’s love and the knowledge of what He has done and taught us on our own lives. Empty save for the faith that somehow and in some way, God will work marvelously. Empty save for the gifts that God has given to us, and humbly availing them to His use. Empty save for His Holy Spirit. Everything points to Him; in fact, everything we do must point others to Him. That itself in an act of relying on Him. “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted.” 2 Cor. 1:4.
And as far as possible, it should be covered in prayer, asking for His strength and guidance. Ultimately it is God alone who can bring forth the fruit in anything that we do. "Except that the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." Psa. 127:1
I believe that if we had a glimpse of the mind of God, we would have a great desire to go out there and accomplish great things for Him. Because we have tasted of His love and grace and goodness, and we live in a world that is so in need of that. Nothing can compare to the joy that comes with seeing Him work in this world, and in the individual lives of others! If we have a chance to spread His love, why would we run away from it? It is a wonderful thing to be so excited to serve God! And there is so much that God can use us to do in this world. "Attempt great things for God, expect great things from God."
But before we even talk about the process of doing, at the very root our motivation to serve must stem from our love for Him, and for others. It is so easy to lose track, and end up looking for ways to serve Him for the sake of serving, seeking to do things for the sake of doing, or so that we can feel good, and losing the heart of it all. This has happened in my own life, and I will testify that it is ultimately fruitless. I have found personally that God will show us the way to serve, God will place in us convictions on how to serve, God will lead us into situations where we can serve, if we are earnestly open to His leading and wait upon Him patiently. "He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:5. Abide in His love, know His heart for others, and the service which stems from that will be fruitful, as He has promised.
"God's work done God's way will never lack God's supply" Hudson Taylor
Most of what I have written about weakness and relying on God has been based upon the writings of Paul; and yet when we look at the book of Acts, we realise that Paul was a man that accomplished many great things for God. He travelled thousands of miles, converted thousands of souls, helped and taught many churches. James writes, "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" James 2:20. So how are works related?
Paul provides a wonderful answer in 1 Corinthians 2. "And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." v. 3-5. This is the key: that whatever we do stems out of the power and guidance of God. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." 2 Cor. 4:7. An earthen vessel needs to be filled; we too need to be filled with the power of God if we are to accomplish anything for Him.
We are called to be the salt and light of the world; that certainly will not happen by us sitting down our whole lives and doing nothing. The works that we are called to come in a huge variety. They can be in a church ministry; they can be outside of it. They can be as large as addressing a crowd or preaching a sermon; they can be as simple as helping a friend in need. They can be as challenging as evangelising to non-believers; they can also be as simple as comforting someone who is down, or praying for someone. There are many, many things out there that we can do for Him. And when God presents us with things to do, we must approach them with all the passion that we have. "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." Colossians 3:23.
But we must go trusting not in our strength, but in His. We must go empty- empty of what we think is our own strength, empty of our own wisdom, empty of our own motives, empty save for God’s strength, God’s love and the knowledge of what He has done and taught us on our own lives. Empty save for the faith that somehow and in some way, God will work marvelously. Empty save for the gifts that God has given to us, and humbly availing them to His use. Empty save for His Holy Spirit. Everything points to Him; in fact, everything we do must point others to Him. That itself in an act of relying on Him. “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted.” 2 Cor. 1:4.
And as far as possible, it should be covered in prayer, asking for His strength and guidance. Ultimately it is God alone who can bring forth the fruit in anything that we do. "Except that the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." Psa. 127:1
I believe that if we had a glimpse of the mind of God, we would have a great desire to go out there and accomplish great things for Him. Because we have tasted of His love and grace and goodness, and we live in a world that is so in need of that. Nothing can compare to the joy that comes with seeing Him work in this world, and in the individual lives of others! If we have a chance to spread His love, why would we run away from it? It is a wonderful thing to be so excited to serve God! And there is so much that God can use us to do in this world. "Attempt great things for God, expect great things from God."
But before we even talk about the process of doing, at the very root our motivation to serve must stem from our love for Him, and for others. It is so easy to lose track, and end up looking for ways to serve Him for the sake of serving, seeking to do things for the sake of doing, or so that we can feel good, and losing the heart of it all. This has happened in my own life, and I will testify that it is ultimately fruitless. I have found personally that God will show us the way to serve, God will place in us convictions on how to serve, God will lead us into situations where we can serve, if we are earnestly open to His leading and wait upon Him patiently. "He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:5. Abide in His love, know His heart for others, and the service which stems from that will be fruitful, as He has promised.
"God's work done God's way will never lack God's supply" Hudson Taylor
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