Christianity Oasis Forum

[mlg]

I've been thinking on this.....for a few days now.

I remember when I first got saved...it took may years of a sinful way of living before I turned to God...and I only turned to Him...after my life was torn away from me.

But even after being saved...I didn't immediately feel a call to work for God. In fact it was only after being here at the Oasis for a time that I found that I had gifts that were waiting to be used by the Spirit.

My service to God before this was very limited...I would show up for all the church "events" at my local home church...and I felt that was service enough at the time. Then after awhile I began to give money to my church...and I was a bit selfish at the time...only given what I wanted to give. But of course I patted myself on the back thinking...not only am I showing up..I'm now giving a small amount of money...

But in the months and years ahead...God would show me that my way of thinking was soooo wrong...and that He required and wanted my service to Him and His ministry in so many more ways than I was already doing.

I had to make a decision to serve God more...I could have stayed in my old ways serving a bit here and there...giving a little money when I could have given more...but God knows what we are capable of...and He expects a lot...and as His children...He wants our service now...today...tomorrow...and unto eternity.

When did you decide to serve God? Are you giving Him the service He expects?

luv ya'll

[Christianity Oasis]

After many years of observing ...

I have found that it is usually when the world has tossed em to the curb or they are so very low that they have nowhere to turn but JESUS.

Luv ya

[morningrain]

I immediately started serving, became a sunday helper and then took over Sunday school to small kids, sort of wasn't given much choice, but was happy to do it and wishing i could be in with the adults all at the same time. Then went on and helped out a church just begining and took over all age kids in Sunday school for a few months till they were able to get some Sunday school teachers in.

After that though, i feel back and went the next 7 years maybe devoted to studying all i could learn from the Lord by His Spirit. Then went on to run an online ministry shut it down after a year and then ended up reopening and ran it successfull for the next three years. Now serving here at Oasis. But have to say, during those first 8 years was hard, but wasn't till began actually running a minstry that things got hard Spiritually.

When did you decide to serve God? Are you giving Him the service He expects?

Have to say around four years ago, and when giving it some deep thought, yes. Do think i have or should have done better then i have here and there along the way, but then God already knew everything that would be coming my way as He does for everyone. He knows and knew what failures would come, He knows and knew when i wouldn't be able to do something, He knows and knew when someone needed a shoulder to lean on and made sure i was there. He knew when someone needed to hear the Gospel of Christ and he put me in that path of them. He knew when i needed to lean on someone and he put that person in my path. He knew when that in my failures He would be able to teach me a vauble lesson that needed knowing. He has taught me a vauble lessons through all of it. My opinion

God bless Sis

[Dora]

hmm...interesting thread.

I sorta fell into serving.

Married a man who is ready and willing to jump into helping where ever needed. He has an eye for watching and when sees a need jumps to service. At first if I wanted to hang out with him I had to be stacking chairs after church meetings, sweeping the kitchen floor, service coffee, cooking breakfast for a group of singles, or where ever he had jumped in to help. It sorta became addictive.

This landed him into teaching jr. high sunday school. Everyone else ran like the kids there had a plague. We loved it. But kids started coming along so I had to step back. Then we found our kids fit into AWANA clubs so we jumped in to help there and have been there ever since.

We aren't in church every time the doors open. But when something is in our line of giftedness we are there and helping. Not because we have to. But because we want to.

So from stacking chairs, to pouring coffee, to teaching sunday school, to leading a group of kids, to guiding adults, we've grown into service.

Not everyone can preach a sermon, but everyone can stack chairs, sweep a flour, pour a cup of coffee for a visitor or send out cards. Service doesn't have to be big to be noticed by God.

I have found that it is usually when the world has tossed em to the curb or they are so very low that they have nowhere to turn but JESUS.

Not only turning to Jesus, but having a purpose through Him. The world sometimes sees us as unimportant (even the church). But everything every "little" thing done for God is seen by God and not over looked by Him.

I do feel I am doing what God asks of me. He is continually expanding my territory though. When faithful in a little he'll give more. Guiding one person closer to understanding Christ today may lead into guiding a group closer to Him down the road.