(May 23, 2010) A Weekly Meditation of Pastor Chang

<Ways to Receive Blessings> (6)

Allow me continuously to share with you some thoughts of ways to receive blessings. Any Christian who has good spiritual life will always think of serving the Lord positively. Why? It is because a true Christian will always think of the possibility to response to God’s love and grace. And to serve or to make offerings are the ways to response to God directly. Only those who are lukewarm or false Christians will see to serve or to make offerings as a fearful way to move on. These false Christians are self-centered. They don’t like to give their time, talents, and money to do any Kingdom investment. Furthermore, they only seek for any good benefit for themselves, if there is none, they will not serve. Actually these are very secular and worldly thinking. Only fake Christians will follow the worldly ways.

Let me make a simple example: “Worship” is a kind of services of the Lord. But if one who is always late to join the worship service -- it is not a right attitude, no quality of service there. Or some people may think of another way of worship service: God seems very tyrannous – He demands people to worship Him so that He will feel delighted. Actually, any true worshiper will know, it is just contrary to this worldly thinking. The reason is: When we worship God, we receive direct blessings from the mercy seat of God in heaven. Any Christian, who misses worship too long, will become dry spiritually. True worshippers know during the worship the channel of God’s blessings will powerfully pour down even unconsciously. Praise the Lord in such a miraculous way through worship that He encounters His people and blesses them.

There are at least 8 principles that we need to know in order to have right worship and service to the Lord:

1. Serving and worshipping the Lord must with a right spirit – be willing to obey with a cheerful heart. If we do not have such kind of spirit, it is better not doing it. Otherwise, we will offend our Lord.

2. When we serve and worship the Lord, do not need to look others or make a comparison with others – because our direct object of service and worship is Jesus Christ Himself. We will lose the track by observing others and making a comparison. 

3. When we serve or worship, do not be critical on the environment or people’s reactions.

4. When we serve or worship, do not be self-centered. Do not expect that people will surround us and put us as the target. Otherwise, we might steal the glory of God.

5. Serving or worshipping God, we need to do our best. Do not pretend or carry on too much burden that is beyond our capacity.

6. Servicing or worshipping the Lord should put our Lord Jesus as the first priority. Do not delay or put off or drop out, especially when we have made a covenant with God.

7. Serving or worshipping God, please do not make it as a kind of “show,” so you will always seek for people applauds. Instead, just seek for God’s private approval, and then, we will be rewarded. Namely, whatever we do, do it only for the glory of our Lord!

8. Worshipping our Lord is more important than any kind of other services. In other word, it is not worthy for anyone who drops worship time to do other kind of service. For example, some people at our church, in order to cook for Sunday lunch miss the worship time. It is a wrong and bad way of service. Jesus will never approve that. See the story of these two sisters: Martha and Mary. Jesus Christ rebuked Martha for her worrying about the food and service and missed a better spiritual blessing which Mary got. Let us ponder about it!