Called for Special Service
Dear Friends,
Today at this time of unprecedented need in the midst of growing greed, God is calling
forth His people to be a light in the midst of darkness. Just as Jesus called Lazarus out of the
grave in John 12:17 even so He is calling us out of our tombs of indifference into a life of
service.
Why is it so easy for those who believe that God has called them for special service to
accept the fact that each night thousands of women, children, and men are homeless in the
richest country in the world? What spell immobilizes and paralyzes us when it comes to
decisive action in behalf of the poor? How can so many claim to follow the world’s greatest
revolutionary, Jesus Christ, and then ignore His Words when He says, “I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for Me” (Matthew 25:40).
To minister means to serve. It doesn’t mean just teaching or preaching but serving in
word and deed. Jesus clearly said when we are serving by helping others we are serving Him.
James Chapter 1 in the last verse says, “This is true and perfect religion to keep oneself
unstained by the world and remember the fatherless and widowed in their affliction.”
To those who consider themselves religious, yet allow justice to be denied, as politicians
ignore the Steward B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act’s provision of federal surplus
property being used for the homeless, Amos would declare, “I can’t stand your religious
meetings. I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your
religious projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes,
your public relations and image making. I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When
was the last time you sang to Me? Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I
want fairness - - rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want” (Amos 5:21-24, The
Message Bible).
As the Word of God is ignored, or at best implemented as theory, but rarely put into
practice, the denial of basic justice for the poor is considered normal. Developers, in the name
of economic development can rob the needy of their homes, monopolistic utility companies can
shut off their heat in the middle of winter, and yet the religious remain silent - - even though
Amos 5:24 declares, “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.”
When we spell out the word service we see that the S stands for seek. The E is for
earnestly. The R represents right. The V is for vigorously. The I is for intensely. The C stands
for Confront and the E is for evil. Spelling out service with each letter as stated above reads
Seek Earnestly Right and Vigorously and Intensely Confront Evil.
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This means that as the politically elite declare war on homeless people and their right to
exist we must serve the Lord by seeking earnestly right and vigorously and intensely
confronting evil. We do this as we stand up in the name of Jesus against all principalities,
condo owners, downtown libraries or any other group that wants to stop the shelters and
services for the homeless.
I Peter 4:7-11 spells out further how Christ like service is to take place. It declares that,
“the end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer
hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have
received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone
speaks they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they
should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through
Jesus Christ.”
As we serve in this way, seeking earnestly to do right and vigorously and intensely
confronting evil, we should not be surprised if the greedy and self-centered turn on us, and
despitefully use us and persecute us. I Peter 1:11-14 proceeds to tell us how to respond to such
abuse. “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as
though something strange was happening to you. But rejoice in as much as you participate in
the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. If you are
insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests
on you.”
God has chosen you to manifest His love in this time and in this place. While this
miracle unfolds, you will see Him do exceedingly above what you can ask and think. As He
does this God will take ordinary people such as you and me and will do extra ordinary things
through us. Whether it was Moses, Peter, or Stephen, we see individuals who were set free
from themselves to the extent they were able to serve God and those in need. Such freedom is a
result of committing one’s life to Christ as Peter declared in Acts 4:12, “Salvation is found in no
one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Such a commitment sets us free from the paralysis of fear and the pleasures of sin in order that
our service may truly be effective and productive.
Hebrews 11:25-27 describes Moses’ commitment this way, “He chose to be mistreated
along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He
regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because
he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the King’s anger, he
persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.”
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Moses persevered because He had seen God in a very special and powerful way. He
learned that to serve meant confronting Pharaoh and seeking earnestly right (justice) and
vigorously and intensely confronting evil.
God often trains his great men and women by placing them first in insignificant positions,
allowing their desires to serve Him result in serving others. For Stephen this meant being
involved in the distribution of food to the needy. Moses was tending the flock of his father-inlaw when God spoke to him through a burning bush.
God tells Moses “I will be with you”. Then He has Moses return to Egypt to liberate the
children of Israel. The trouble is, after Moses returns things seem to get worse rather than
better. You may also discover that when you try to encourage people to stand up against
injustice, they may not respond (Exodus 6:9). That is why you must stay focused on God’s
promises rather than people’s responses.
As the power brokers resist the integration of the homeless into the mainstream of life in
downtown communities, I draw strength from God through prayer and meditations on His
Word. I often pray with the Psalmist, “Deliver me from my enemies, O God, protect me from
those who rise up against me” (Psalm 59:1). I will tell God, “You are my strength, I watch for
you; You, O God, are my fortress, my loving God” (Psalm 59:9).
Not only does God give us strength to stand up against the enemies of the homeless, He
also provides us with the strength to love those He has called us to serve. Without love our
actions are meaningless and ineffective and unproductive.
I witnessed quality service when my wife Debra and I recently visited a local restaurant.
After we had ordered our food and my meal was delivered to me we waited and waited for
Debra’s to be brought to her. Finally after thirty minutes it was brought to the attention of the
assistant manager that not only had she not received her food but mine was growing cold as I
was waiting to eat with her.
Ten minutes later the assistant manager not only showed up with Debra’s food but also
another plate of hot food for me. We were then told there would be no charge for our evening
meal.
A few minutes later while we were discussing the assistant manager’s graciousness the
manager walked up to our table apologizing for the fact we had to wait so long. He gave us his
card with a note that we were to receive a $15 credit next time we returned to the restaurant.
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The next morning as I was praying the Lord reminded me how that manager and his
assistant had handled this situation in such a positive way. My response was “sure Lord, they
want us to come back so we will spend more money there.” To this response the Holy Spirit
replied, “Larry, I have given you and those working with you an even higher calling. I expect
you to express the same love and concern to the hurting people I bring to your door to serve.”
Talk about conviction. I had personally experienced compassionate service and now God
was showing me that He expected me to provide the same service with love to those in need.
Jesus makes this clear in Matthew 25 when he says “as often as you have done it to the least of
these even so you have done it unto me.” We must have faith in God and the power of His
Word to provide quality service to the poor through the love of Christ.
A few days ago someone had been very rude to me. It seemed they had pushed me just
once too often. I woke up during the night thinking how I was going to tell them that that I was
fed up with the way they were pushing me and they could just move on and start pushing carts
at Wal-Mart or somewhere else. I was tired of that person constantly pushing me with their
spirit of negativism and hostility.
With those thoughts in my mind, the Holy Spirit told me to pick up my Bible as He
directed me to Psalm 39:1-5. After reading and meditating on these verses I wrote the
following. “Lord I feel the pressure mounting in me. There are some I really want to tell off
but I will watch my ways. I will keep my tongue from sin and muzzle my mouth. That is why I
stay silent when I can feel the pressure mounting. When I think about these issues the fire
within burns. Then I consider, is it worth blowing up over? Life is so short and I need to
number my days. What difference in the light of eternity does this issue really matter? Show
me Lord when to speak up and when to shut up. Help me to number my days. My life is
fleeing away so Lord show me the issues to get involved with and which ones to avoid.”
It takes faith to pattern our lives according to the Bible and respond to its call to serve.
The problem is some have made serious mistakes by confusing presumption with authentic
Biblical faith. Presumption is a result of presuming when and how God will perform the
needed miracle.
In the past I have experienced disappointment when I have presumed that God was going
to meet a financial need or provide a healing at a certain time in a certain way. Sometimes I
believe He has purposely not done it the way I expected because He wanted to prove to me that
He is the provider and the healer and not my method.
As time passes and I see God provides over and over in different ways then I expected, I
am coming to the point that I can say, “OK Lord, I see that the need isn’t going to be met in that
way or at that moment, so I can wait expectantly knowing that You, dear Jesus, will do it at the
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perfect moment in the perfect way. Yes, the storm is raging, but I need not panic, for just as
You stilled the storm in Mark 4:40 and told your disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you
still have no faith?’ I do not need to fear, for you, O Lord, you have everything under control
and You are a God of love.
Truly we are serving a God of Love. A passionate God who has called us at this hour to
special service unto Him. Now we are told along with the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:25, “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate
wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found
them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships by my name and have not grown
weary.”
“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how
far you have fallen. Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come
to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”
Jesus is telling us that if we are going to truly serve Him effectively and productively He
must be our first love. If we don’t, the lamp stand, representing the Holy Spirit’s anointing will
be taken from us and all our hard work will be in vain.
Losing our first love for Christ is dangerous. It means losing our enthusiasm for Him and
the passion to do His work and will.
We were created in the image of God. He is a passionate God as proven by what extent
He went to in order that we might be saved. His passion caused Him to send His Son to the
cross to pay for the penalty of our sins. On the day you came to Christ the angels of heaven
celebrated with the God of heaven and earth. He is a passionate God who cares deeply about
you.
You are created in the image of God. If you are not passionate about God you will be
passionate about something else. For some its sports, for others its money. Whatever is
number one in your life is your passion. If it is not Christ than its an idol no matter how good
and noble it may appear.
So many things in life can slowly distract us and can become our first love and ultimately
an idol. Jesus says where your heart is your treasure will be also. We see this in Matthew 6:1921. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths
and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure
is, there your heart will be also.”
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When it comes to service no matter how hard we work and no matter how much we
persevere if we lose our first love for Christ we have lost it all. I know I must daily read the
Bible and pray or I will become luke warm and lose my enthusiasm for God and service unto
Him. I must strive daily to make sure my treasure is stored up in heaven.
There are three kinds of energy in the universe. The first is dynamic energy where
growth is taking place. The second is static energy where growth has stopped and one is just
existing. The third is entropic or chaotic energy where death is the result. Everything in our
life and service unto God is one of those three forms of energy. Our relationship with Christ
and our service unto Him is either growing, static or dying.
In Revelation 2:2-5 not only does Jesus point out the problem of not having Him as our
first love but He also gives the solution. In verse 5 Jesus tells us to first consider how we have
fallen away from our first love. Second we are told to repent and do things with the same
enthusiasm we did when we first received Christ. Finally, we are to seek the anointing of the
Holy Spirit in all that we do and say in Christ’s behalf.
No longer can we afford to just go through the motions of serving Christ. The time has
come for us to really serve Him and receive the promise He makes in Revelation 2:7. “For the
one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of
God.”
The time has come for us to make every effort to serve God. The hour is late. The end of
all things is near. We are told, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves
the world. Love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world – the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life comes not from the Father, but from the world. The
world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (I John 2:1517).
Sincerely yours,
Larry Rice
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