King David appointed these ministers to serve before the Ark of God! They were to record and give thanks to the God of Israel. They were to write down their experiences and record them! That is how we got our Bible! Notice they were appointed by a higher authority! They were not self-appointed! You can never be in authority unless you are under authority! The word minister used here in the Hebrew means to serve a higher rank! Much like in the military. An example would be Joseph managing all the affairs of Potiphers house. Not his wife’s affairs! So who is the General or highest rank? God Himself! If you examine God in the scriptures we find that He is also a servant! Who is the lowest rank? Satan yet because of sin he runs most of the world! You should not serve him because all of creation out ranks him including the snake! Jesus exposed the good nature of a servant when he said he who is greatest in the Kingdom of God is servant of all. You will discover in the New Testament that the word minister and servant come from the same Greek word, “diakonos.” This definition can range from a waiter of tables to running errands to a teacher or a Pastor! Satan is not a servant! In fact he enslaves people so they do his bidding! God gives but Satan takes! God has given us life but Satan has taken life through death! So we have givers and takers! Our Bible says give and it will be given to you pressed down and overflowing! It also says the wages of sin is death! Remember we minister to the highest rank when we serve others! God will enable us to do this if we will humble ourselves! Pride will cause us to want to be served! Two different attitudes with two different outcomes! As Easter is approaching let us remember God sacrificed Himself for us! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: humble
Is God a Show Off? 2 Kings 5:11-14
Naaman the Captain of the Syrian Army had trouble following simple directions! Can i get a witness? First of all he was informed by his Jewish servant girl who was captured and made a slave through the spoils of war that there was a God in Israel who could heal his leprocy! Then Naaman sends money to the King of Israel trying to buy his healing? The King of Israel rent his clothes saying am i God? So Naaman mounts up his chariots with his army and heads for Israel! He stops his chariot at the front door of the Prophet Elisha! Elisha does not go out to meet the Captain but sends his servant girl out to tell him to dip in the Jordan River seven times! Naaman lost his cool! Naaman thought God would come down in a bolt of lightning and make a big show for the world to see! Like dazzle the elite! The Bible says Naaman left in a rage! Are there not better rivers in Syria? Well more servants saved the day! Naaman’s servants asked him why not just follow the directions? Naaman took their advice and dipped in the Jordon seven times and got healed! It was a humble little servant girl that birthed forth Jesus! The Angel went to the humble shepherds to announce the birth of Christ! God did not make a big show! He appears to a few to save many! Pride can keep you out of God’s purpose and plan for your life! About 60 years ago there was a young man dying of tuberculosis in the slums of Seoul Korea! The doctor sent him home to die! He was coughing up blood! A little teenage girl would come by each day as he lay on his cot dying and pray for him. He would insult her, spit on her and call her a Christian dog! She asked him if he would surrender his life to Christ? She kept praying and his health improved! God healed him and he started a ministry in the slums of Seoul Korea! Today this church has over one million members and is the world’s largest church! Pastor Cho commissioned us as missionaries to India from 1984-1987. Pastor Cho could never find this teenage girl even though he has looked for past 60 years? The world and even some in the church think you are wasting your time praying for the sick and dying! No money in it for me? Waste of my time? God will use what the world discounts or throws away to bring Glory to His Name! God’s love never discounts anyone! Not even you! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Guilt and Hope Matthew 11:28
We live in a fallen world! Violence, crime, natural disasters are all around us! From earthquakes, cyclones, floods, fires, pestilences and disease covers the world with tragedy! Wars and rumors of wars! From cop killers to Islamic Jihadist law and order seems like a distant hope? Political failures at home and gains by terrorists seems daunting! Guilt is the product of our fallen world! Guilt drives the Islamist terrorists! They believe the only sure way to get to Heaven is to commit Jihad! Kill themselves and others! How sad! God has a plan to defeat guilt and sin and it lead Him to the Cross! Jesus was raised from the dead for our fallen world! God shed His blood to cover our guilt! To reject God’s blood is to shed man’s blood! Guilt and sin leads to more sin! One sin to cover another! One lie to cover another lie! Bring your guilt to Jesus! Jesus said to come to Him those that labor and are heavy laden! A ship that is heavy laden will sink! Jesus bore your sin on the Cross! A yoke is designed for two oxen! Let Jesus come along side you and carry your load! Do not try to carry too much! God made you to trust Him! Not by your own efforts! Jesus went on to say He would give you rest! Rest means to pause from your own efforts! It means to refresh! That is why God gave us the Sabbath! At Creation God Himself rested from His work on the 7th day! Are you greater than God? Many have tried! The burn out of American families today is the result of not honoring the Sabbath! The 24-7 schedule takes no time for rest in the Sabbath! God not only saves us but he sanctifies us! Philippines 1:6 says we are confident that the good work He has begun in us He will perform in us until the day of Jesus Christ! Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! His purpose within us will continue forever! Why miss out on the peace and joy of Jesus living in you? Pride and the fool says i can make it on my own! No one ever did! That was Satan’s plan! Sorrow and death is his constant companion! Do you want rest and freedom from guilt and shame? Ask Jesus! Humble yourself and ask for help! It is not that hard to do! What is hard to do and impossible is to try to live without Jesus! He will raise you up from your fallen condition! Pastor Oscar Cope, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Fairburn, Georgia.