Serve the Lord with gladness Week 6, 2026

 

What kind of work is this? It has so many mistakes! My friend, you can do better than this.

Sorry nnayi for the hassles, no offence intended. I was in a hurry and failed to notice them.

Now we have to do this work all over again. We cannot use it.

Why? There are mistakes, alright, but it is manageable. Let’s use it

Manageable! Is that fitting for your private practice or a governor, and you offer it to the king of kings? Is that how you serve God? Mal 1:8(GNB)  When you bring a blind or sick or lame animal to sacrifice to me, do you think there's nothing wrong with that? Try giving an animal like that to the governor! Would he be pleased with you or grant you any favors?" The other day, you were so late, I wondered if the work would be done at all.

Look, I am not being paid for this job; it is entirely voluntary, and I expect your thanks and appreciation, not this kind of harsh rebuke.

I see. Mal 1:13(GNB)  You say, 'How tired we are of all this!' and you turn up your nose at me....Because you are not being paid with naira and kobo, you treat it anyhow. No skin pain, no sacrifice, you must be begged and cajoled to fulfill the role God Himself endowed you to do in His church. Let me tell you: It is for your own good that you serve the Lord. If you think you are doing me a favour by doing this work (let me not say doing God a favour), please stop. Ps 100:2(ESV)  Serve the LORD with gladness!

You mean you don’t want me to do the work? There is no one here who will do it well. You need to encourage people and not discourage them.

I laugh. Listen, and listen well. No one is indispensable. Not I. And certainly not you. Mat 3:9(ESV)  And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. There are still stones ready to be made into sons of Abraham. In fact, the cry of Hosanna will be deafening should you keep quiet! Lk 19:40(ESV)  He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” God can never, hear me, can never ever be overcome in His purpose for anyone who holds steadfastly to Him. Est 4:14(ESV)  For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place... And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Not every offering will God accept, and I hope you know this is an offering to God. Stop doing God a favour and start giving Him the very best with all joy. Perhaps you should simply stop.

Nnanyi, you are too hard, too harsh. I thought you were meant to bless me, not curse me.

But I am blessing you. Blessing is not all about sweet words. If you don’t hear these words and progress in error, I would have failed in my duty to you. You need to wake up and move properly. I am sure you have the capacity to do so much better and so gain a full reward from the Lord. Even though I speak like this, I have faith you will do much better from now. Heb 6:9, 11-12(ISV)  Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case, things that point to salvation. But we want each of you to continue to be diligent to the very end, in order to give full assurance to your hope. Then, instead of being lazy, you will imitate those who are inheriting the promises through faith and patience.