Proverbs 22:29. Hebrews 11:6. John 9:4.
But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 11:6.Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29.
Let us begin this conversation by noting as a reminder that every believer is an employee or staff of heaven under God. We are His workmanship, says the Scriptures.bin Ephesians 2:10.. The appointment into God’s workforce comes as soon as one receives Jesus as LORD and Savior. That is the summary of John 1:12, where the Scripture states that those who receive Him Jesus, have been given the power, the authority or the privilege to be called children of God. This is a rare appointment powered by grace as contained in Ephesians 2:8-9, for we are saved by grace, not by works of righteousness, lest any man should boast. Indeed our salvation is a product of grace, hence we are enjoined not to boast or to be prideful about it . Nobody should think he merited it. Only God qualifies His appointees . Thankfully, we are in the class of those considered by the Sovereign God to be so appointed. And what is the job of the appointee?
1. To win souls and free them from Satan’s slavery.
2. To confirm, nurture and mould souls thereby making them heaven’s citizens.
3. To equip ,train and deploy souls for kingdom service. (Making them leaders who should lead with diligence).
These three assignments are the sum total of the ‘Go Ye Commission’ in Matthew 28:18-20, given to the church by our LORD Jesus Christ.
Notwithstanding, every other assignment in the church is attached to these other three above. Such assignments are ancillary and contributory to soul winning, soul confirmation and soul deployment for kingdom work. These are what Jesus spent three decades and half doing to produce the 120 that gathered at the Upper Room for the Holy Ghost baptism in Acts 1:8 and 2.
Expectedly therefore, God wants His employees to offer their services with diligence.
But what is the service?
Service in economics is work done in exchange of payment. The payment could come in cash called salary or wage or in kind by way of a return of favor, goodness or potential gratification. Where none of this is involved, such a service is regarded as volunteerism or pro bono – not to be paid for. It could also be regarded as a service of hobby.. carried out for the love of it, not for gain or profit.
However, service by Biblical standards is any work, act of labour or duty done to benefit somebody. Any work or act of labor or duty done which does not, or did not benefit somebody, can’t qualify as service before God.
The service that benefits somebody is not defined by the person who renders it, but in the light of the person who benefits from it. The benefit is not mutual. It’s the recipient that determines the benefit of the service . This understanding is important for those who gossip, blackmail or cheat or lie , so that they can appreciate the fact that they don’t have the privilege to define the benefit of their actions. Those who receive it should.
Therefore, when you engage in lying , cheating and other aberrant behaviors, you MUST appreciate the negativity of your behavior. which deviates from providing SERVICE. Such a service so called is useless, unGodly and dangerous to benefit any body.
As God’s employees, we are expected to render service that benefits other people.
Even those involved in secular works are also expected to do works that benefit others. More so, when they are paid to discharge such services. When you do work of extortion, bribery, brigandage, killings and violence as well as corruption, kidnappings, ritual murders and falsification of documents among others, it’s only reasonable to point out that the sole beneficiaries are the perpetrators of these evils. So,even when they seem to be at work or providing services, they are the ones benefitting from what they are doing. So before God and , in man’s economic definition of service or work, these activities are deficient of what service is. They don’t qualify. At best , they are self- service which is useless before God and before REASONABLE people. 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2.
As we progress, you can now begin to ask yourself if your actions or activities can qualify as service? And if they do, whether they are being rendered with diligence.
What then is DILIGENCE?
Diligence is a rare kind of human character that is conscientious in paying proper or due attention to a task; and gives the degree of care required in a given situation. It’s that quality of character that is persevering with determination to perform a task in a most diligent manner with results achieved.
Diligence is industry, hard work and concentration, frugality and studiousness with details and exactitude in performance. The diligent is determined in purpose and pursuit. There is no half measure for the diligent, just as there’s no compromise in quality and standards. In equal opportunities environment, the DILIGENT get the promotions far ahead of their contemporaries, some of whom are average, laggards or plain lazy for comparison.
So, Diligence in Service , particularly for kingdom work, is that service carried out with appropriate degree of care required to attract God’s approval for reward. Don’t forget that the service being rendered can only be given approval by God. He is the one who saves, sanctifies and uses us to achieve other means. If He doesn’t find your service worthy of use to achieve His other purposes and counsel, it then means that our labor is vain, without reward, of none effect. Inconsequential. Without result. Poor and useless. That would be dangerous for a believer to undertake such vain assignments. Not even when God had given us an example to follow.
After the work of creation by God, the Bible says: And God saw that the work was good. Yes God’s work was good because it was carried out with DILIGENCE..We must strive to serve God with diligence because it is the nature of God. It has other benefits to us as believers too. Happy Sunday. God bless.( To continue).
ABOUT THE PREACHER
Pastor Okoro is a revivalist and marriage counselor.
He can be reached on:
08051000462.
© All Bible references are from KJV, except otherwise stated.
November 27, 2022.
Disclaimer.
My attention has been drawn to the activities of some unGodly souls who are claiming to represent me to solicit funds from people. They are fraudsters. They do not represent me or any member of my family. Please expose them for what they are– 419ners.
Some of the names they use include Barrister Johnson Osagie, Barrister Ben Ezeh and Comptroller Adams who claims to be an immigration officer. They are false and fake. And do not represent me or my family or our ministry.
.They use the following phone lines and Bank details.
Barr Ben Ezeh:
09034312983; 07064608647.
He supplied this Bank details for payment:
Mercy Eberechukwu Chinedu.
Fidelity Bank.
Account No: 6980007500.Mr Adams and Johnson Osagie::
0815455865.
They supplied this Bank details.
Eco Bank.Account Name: Collins Maku.
Account No:
8105648348.Be advised.
Signed.
