*DOMINION MANDATE DAILY DEVOTIONAL*
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020
*ACCEPTABLE SERVICE*
*BIBLE READING: 1 SAMUEL 12:13-15*
*Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, and offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for our God is [indeed] a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29(AMP).*
Service refers to the action of helping, doing something for someone or meeting the needs of another person or authority. The importance of service cannot be overemphasized as we illustrated in our devotional series on sonship last month. Service has been described as a pathway to greatness as highlighted by Jesus Christ in
Matthew 23:11-12(MSG); *"Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you will get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty."* To make our lives count on earth and to be able to serve God and humanity, God equipped us specially with spiritual gifts to enable us to serve Him acceptably or in accordance with His terms.
It is important to understand that God is neither helpless nor depends on our service to survive, rather it is a privilege to be in the Lord’s workforce for the advancement of His Kingdom agenda on earth. 1 Timothy 1:12(AMP) says, *I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has granted me [the needed] strength and made me able for this, because He considered me faithful and trustworthy, putting me into service [for this ministry].*
Since God has given us this rare privilege to serve, we must serve God acceptably in accordance with His conditions. The foundation of any service to God is to offer ourselves wholeheartedly to Him before our works or substance can be acceptable – Romans 12:1
(NKJV), *I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.*
After we have offered ourselves to God, some additional conditions must be met for our service to be acceptable unto God. One of such conditions is that:
Our service must be motivated by love- *Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. (1Cor. 13:1-3).* Likewise, in 1 Corinthians 16:14 we are admonished, *"Let all that you do be done with love."* And Hebrews 6:10 says, *"For God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister."*
*PRAYER
•Repent from anyway or manner you had served or worshipped God on your own terms or offered unacceptable service unto God.
•Ask God for grace to serve Him acceptably.
*CONFESSION
•I have been equipped with special gifts by the Holy Spirit to serve God acceptably and bring glory to His Name.
•Since I serve God acceptably in truth and in Spirit, no evil or plague shall come near me.
