Christianity Oasis Forum

[TrueAndMagneticNorth]

Greetings. As someone who has recently undertaken the 'Many Called, One Chosen' program, I've recently pondered how I can really serve God. The thing is, I am a person who really loves space, needs human contact really with only a small circle of loved ones and a friend or two, and sort of loves isolation. In short, recent years have undoubtedly seen God drawing me nearer to Him, and His spirit working in me. Yet, given the whole isolation and space thing, I have concerns that I qualifiy as one of those worthless 'servants' so strongly condemned by Jesus in the bible. So while I know there is no moral problem with loving a good deal of space and isolation, how can I best reconcile that with the very real call to serve Him?
Thanks in advance to anyone who may offer insight.

[Lani]

Hey Bro!

Awesome Post! Thanks for sharing!

While I am certain you will get several responses to your questions... here is my take

I get that you like your space... time alone with God is very necessary to our continued Spiritual Growth.

God will work through any situation... you feel His call
Woot! Awesome! TY Lord!!

Now, how to do His work, honor your Call as His servant and maintain your own desire for space...

Depends

If you meant here at the Oasis, an awesome opportunity to reach out to others, while remaining in your comfort zone...
Forums! Our Oasis family shares hurts, prayer concerns, praise, things to ponder... (endless list) simply choose to respond to those that speak to you and allow His light to touch each.

In your circle or those around you...
You can reach out to your friends and share His light,
You could start a prayer partner group at your church or a local community center.

I know without a doubt, He has called you, He will guide you

I give thanks that He led you here and look forward to standing in faith with you, a part of His Oasis family, as we work together for His will.

Peace n Luv in Christ,
Lani

[TrueAndMagneticNorth]

Hi Lani, and thanks for your thoughtful response and encouragement. I will carefully regard all of what you had to share with me. All the best.

[Dora]

Hello brother

I'm not sure if I understand your situation. I hope you explain more.

One thing that stood out as a concern for me is when you stated...I have concerns that I qualifiy as one of those worthless 'servants' so strongly condemned by Jesus in the bible.

Are you saying Jesus in condemning you? Because Jesus came to give us life not death. He made a way we could be pure and holy despite what we have done, are doing or will do. It is my prayer that you come to understand this.

You are soooooooo not worthless. And you are not condemned. God loves you way more than we could ever comprehend.

Please continue to share your thoughts and struggles.

God loves you and so do I!

[dawnannette]

Hi, I will give what I know God has done in my life and maybe it will help you in some small way.
I took a course called Experiencing God, that had me review my spiritual life and remember the times I knew God was speaking directly to me. Then evaluate each instance and see where God was leading me to serve Him personally.
When we became a child of the King in surrender of our WHOLE life He had already been working in our life to accomplish a mighty work that He wanted to accomplish through us. Finding that work takes seeing His direction in and through our life.
The way it works is we see God working in some area around us and the is our call to join God in what He is doing.
For example:
I saw many people hurting through divorce so I contacted one of the ministers of my church and asked him to pray about starting a support group for people hurting from the brokeness of their marriages. Now I facilitate the only divorce care ministry in the area.
So my advice is to look over where God has brought you then be alert and see where God is working around you and join Him there.
Be blessed,
Dawn Annette

[TrueAndMagneticNorth]

Thanks for your replies and thoughts. Pine, I don't feel worthless. I know all people are of equal worth, but ultimately all people are judged for what they've done and haven't done. I recall Jesus using parables of people who were given various things (seeds, money, or something I can't quite recall right now). As a Christian, Pine, you may well be familiar with this one. In a nutshell, the master leaves, comes back after a while, expecting that all of the servants have added to what they had to start with. All are praised upon revealing how they added to what they initially had. But when it comes to the final guy, he explains how he hid what he had until the master returned, and therefore essentially added nothing to it. He is then bitterly chastised, and sent into the darkness, meaning of course away from the presence of God. The guy in this parable clearly thought of himself as being obedient to the master, yet he did not do the will of the master, and was judged harshly for it.
I guess my concerns are along similar lines, and I think of how little I have really represented God in most of my life up to this point. Anyway, this post has been long enough now, I will stop. By the way, Dawnannette, thank you for your perspective as well. I wish you continued blessings from God in your important work, and you have gotten me to think from the perspective of really identifying a particular area that needs filling somewhere, in terms of doing the will of Jesus. Thanks again all, and all the best.

[dema]

I read your post and the song, "Eleanor Rigby" started playing in my head.

One of my recent devotionals talked about "Jesus Noticed" He saw.

Avatar - "I SEE you." See in a differnt way - see to your essence.

Jesus said, "When you do it unto ONE of the least of these. You do it unto me."

Ponderables for you to ponder. I like to ponder.

[Dora]

I don't feel worthless.

Yeah!!!

I know all people are of equal worth, but ultimately all people are judged for what they've done and haven't done.

Can you explain and use scripture to show why you feel this way?

God bless and keep you.

[TrueAndMagneticNorth]

Thanks for the posts, and giving your time to give me things to ponder.
Pine, I have looked more into the parable I referred to. It is 'The Parable of the Bags of Gold', Matthew 25: 14-30. It makes plain and clear that a 'servant' who has not served is no real servant at all.
Regarding that we are all judged, I have come across numerous scriptures to support this, including 2 Corinthians 5:10, 'For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.'
Now I know those who live and die in Christ will not be condemned. But my point is, as highlighted by the above-mentioned parable, as well as at least one other verse (Matthew 7: 21-23, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the Will of my Father in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers"), some people who thought of themselves as obedient to the master, will ultimately not be with God.
In summary, these seem to be people who knew Jesus was the son of God, believed, and thought they were being obedient, yet were surprised to learn that they had not lived the life God expected of them. And herein is my concern about myself.
Anyway, the length of my post is getting out of control again. I'll stop here. All the best.

[Dora]

Thank you for sharing.

If you don't mind, I was wondering your thoughts on what makes the difference in the goats and the sheep. What qualities will the Lord look for that would keep someone on the sheep side. How will we know if we are in danger? Is it perhaps where the heart is because it sounds like they had the same out ward qualities.


You've got me searching brother.

I found this interesting.....
"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged" (I Corinthians 11:31). Self-judgment avoids chastisement. If we do not judge ourselves, then the result will be the chastening rod of God. Do not confuse the chastening rod with condemnation, for remember, we are free from condemnation through Christ.

[dema]

Wow, really getting into ponderables here.

When my husband first quit going to church in 2002, I started writing an almost daily devotional for him. To do this, I ran a search on a word in an online concordance, read through pages of results and then picked out a theme. I ended up with over 400 pages of these short studies and started going back through them and adding one here or there. I ended up with an email distribution list. Posted some on Scribd.

Anyway, the big theme that hit me in the face like a bright light was..... moderation.

Don't you know that we are the sons of God?
Don't think of yourself more highly than you ought to think.

You might do a search on condemn - I just did to find this favorite of mine:

1 John 3:19-21 (King James Version)

19And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

20For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

21Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.


Because it is in counterpoint to what you wrote.

If you are saved, then you accepted Jesus as Lord. If you accepted Jesus as Lord - you gave Him permission to lead you. I think that is what is happening - you are saved and Jesus is saying that it is time to serve.

And so the question is -"Where is he trying to lead you to serve?"

And your answer is to get down on your knees, or sit in your special prayer place - and ask.

As far as the parable of the man with the talents. He buried them. That is visually significant.

And in the case of the people Jesus said he never knew - the discernment is in the heart.

In your heart, you should KNOW that you know Jesus.

If you will confess the Lord Jesus and believe that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

If you will say out loud and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord - boss, savior, leader. Your personal boss, savior and leader

And believe in your heart that He is the son of the divine God, creator of heaven and earth and that God raised him from the dead - then you ARE saved.

If you Accept in your heart the sovereignity of Jesus -then you should be leadable. Now, God leading us is like a farmer leading a mule. And God knows that. Don't step into guilt and condemnation - those are the devil's tools.

To be more leadable, you need to do what the Bible says. Study, worship, hang out with Christian people, try to do good wherever you can. This will make you more leadable. But the biggest challenge that I think many of us face is that we know that we are mules, and we just don't have confidence that God can handle us. He can. If we give him permission. He can.

So, just give him permission and do what you know to do and he'll figure it out.

God Bless.

[Dora]

More pondering

Why serve?

To save ourselves from being a goat or because we love the Lord and His mission to further His kingdom, feed the poor, visit those in prison, and tend to the widow and fatherless? Do we serve so we can stand before Him one day and puff out our chests as we hear of the years of service or do we serve because we love.

Matt 7:20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Gal 5:22- 23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.