Be You. God Service

Be you. 

There was a time, when I first got Saved, that I dreamed of Pastoring a Mega Church. I envisioned me on Stage, with the lights, cameras, and thousands of people in attendance. I even took that test, some of you know what I'm talking about, that tells you what Spiritual Gifts I have. It said Works and Evangelism.

"There you go. see. Ok, so not a Pastor of a Mega Church, but a, a, yeah, an Evangelist. Going around the World and Preaching the Word to Arenas filled with people. You know like, uh, like Oral Roberts."

Got my Plan. God said, "Go to Florida." I said to myself, "Going to Ohio. Going to be a Pastor, going to go to World Harvest Bible College in Ohio, run by Pastor Rod Parsley." God said, "No. Go to Florida." I went to Ohio. Two weeks there. No place to live, no Job. Kept being told you can't get a Job without an Address, couldn't move into anywhere without a viable source of income. Went back to NY.

Fast forward, I moved to Florida. I stayed in the Hotel Business. I left there and got a Job in a Nursing Home as a Cook and Night Supervisor. Met my Wife there. Got Married. Walked into a local Church.

I quickly became a part of this Small Local Church and volunteered often. Made some good friends and loved serving there. Then something happened. The Pastor perhaps made a misstep? The Devil attacked? God had other plans? Whatever the case, the Church began a slow death. I watched as it went down to about 20 people on a Sunday. Finally, my Family and I were called away as well. The Pastor quit. We moved on to a Mega Church.

I found that we, all five of us, Me, my Wife, our three Kids, went to this Church for about 3 weeks. You know what? They never even knew we were there. They never even knew when we were not there. It was like going to a Show. Then going Home. Is this "Church?" I'm not sure. Then it happened. I got texts, phone calls, "New Pastor in Town. Come see."

So we did. Long story short, we returned, jumped back on board, and watched the Church grow exponentially. I was Serving as Head Usher, Head of Security, and in time, took over Hospitality. I was the Facility Director prior to the Accident. Then? Well, just could not do that anymore. However, even with my physical limitations, I still served with Joy and Pleasure. I watched another become a Pastor and another enter into the Seminary. The Church was growing Weekly.

Me? My dream? Mega Superstar Pastor? Never happened? Really Doubt that it ever will. Why? That is not me. That is not what God chose for me. I'm more of a "behind the scenes" kinda guy. I'm an Armorbearer. I am a preparer. You know who else was? John.

"John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”" {Mark 1:4-8}

People were coming from everywhere. Some thought John to be a Prophet. Some thought him to be the Christ Himself. He rejected all this. He could have given into the Praise and Glory of Men. But He never did. He even said this in John 3:30-31

"He must increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all."

John never accepted anything but, who he was. Who God Chose him to be. He was Content. He was happy being second fiddle. Why? Because that is who he was.

Look, there is only one Body of Christ. You are part of it. God created you to be part of it. Ephesians 2:10

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

But we are NOT all " Mega Superstar Pastors." There is a role for them. There is a role for Mega Churchs. But you know what? Someone has to be in Parking Patrol. Someone has to Serve as Ushers. Someone has to Sing on Stage. Someone needs to clean the Church. Serve the Hospitality Treats and make the Coffee. Sunday Service does not go on just because the Pastor gets up to Preach. There is a whole lot of people making this happen as smooth as possible.

Do you know why "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson is as popular as he is? He is good on "The Stick." He can deliver lines line few can. He can act in most any situation. He is a People Person. You know what Steven Spielberg makes great movies and writes great books? Because he is NOT a People Person. He is not good on "The Stick." He knows his role. He is one of the Best. Mr. Johnson is one of the Best in the other Field of Entertainment. But BOTH are vital and quite important in the body of Entertainment in total.

The Body of Christ is the same. Paul puts it this way in 1 Corinthians 12:12-32

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way."

Do you get Stage Freight? Some do. I do not mean they get nervous, I mean they are so frozen in fright that they cannot move or Speak. Pretty hard to be a Pastor on Stage. Can you Bake? I can't. But Hospitality would love to have you. Did you know that you could serve God by baking Brownies with love that people are going to enjoy at Church? Have you ever slapped someone on the Forehead and they became Healed? Raised the Dead? Chances are, you do not have the Gift of Healing. Please do not slap a sick person hoping they get better. Are you a numbers Person? GREAT! The Church needs an Accountant. Do you enjoy going to the Pantry and giving out food to the needy? Are you truly a Pastor? Are you truly an Usher? Security? Are you an Elder? Do you Dream Dreams?

Point is if you want to be TRULY happy and TRULY satisfied with serving in the Family of God, find out what Gifts HE chose for you. Find out through Prayer and Meditation what role you truly have in the Kingdom. Be Content with doing that. Do it better than anyone else. Do it with Joy. You will be greatly rewarded and respected. More importantly, God will Bless you richly. Just be you.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord.