The Lord’s Work

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality. Colossians 3:23-25

As a servant of the Lord, follower of Jesus Christ, and the temple of the Holy Spirit, I desire to do the work of the Lord. Above and beyond anything else, as long as I can remember, this is what I wanted to do. I wanted nothing more than to do the will of the Lord.

Though I stumbled, fell short, and messed up in many ways, God always pursued me, bringing me to a place of humility and repentance. Turning me back on the path He had pointed out at the young age of six.

I spent many years pretending to do what was right. Yet on the inside, where most could not see, there was much anger, loneliness, arrogance, haughtiness, lust, rebellion, and disobedience. Always trying to appear to others that I was righteous, but honestly rotten on the inside. Not truly converted or changed.

I desired to do what was right, but could not change my own heart, and because of this, I kept on sinning. Fighting against my sinful nature day in and day out, not content to let the devil win without a fight.

Even then, as a teenager, I knew I was different. I was a loner for the most part. Never seemed to fit in anywhere. Friendly with most everyone, but friends with no one at the same time. If you have been there, you may understand, and I am sure you can also relate.

It was not money, fame, titles, renown, popularity, or a profitable career placement that I desired. It was not even my own hopes and dreams that were important to me. I considered them second fiddle to the will of the Lord for my life, even though most of the time I didn’t know what the Lord was doing. But I trusted that He did, by faith.

I knew the truth of God’s Word and believe He is in control of my life. Remember what Jesus said: those who seek to gain the world will lose it all, and those who seek to serve and give it all up for God will gain more than they could imagine in the end. A great reward in the life hereafter.

Jesus said, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37

And “For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what he has done.” Matthew 16:27

I knew Jesus was my example. That is who I wanted to be like, but I also knew I could not do it on my own. So when my weakness was made evident, it became a source of strength through my faith in Jesus, transformed by His Spirit working apart from my flesh. I became His servant to do His will, in whatever direction He showed me to go.

But Jesus called them to Him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28

I am not boasting in my own piety as some may assume. I am just telling the plain truth of the desires of my own heart. I was definitely interested in doing things, going places, having things, and achieving success in life. But first and foremost, I wanted to serve the Lord, which required me to lower myself to the level of a servant. In this way, I was willing to go where He wanted me to go and do what He wanted me to do, because it was no longer about myself, but Him and others.

This was how I treated all of my major decisions. I even remember, at a crossroads, praying to the Lord something like this. “Lord, I do not desire wealth, fortune, or fame; it would only ruin me the way I am right now. Because I know my own heart. But guide me on the right path, direct my steps on the way you have chosen for me, and I will follow you the best I can. Wherever that may lead, so be it.”

Like Paul said, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.” Philippians 3:12-16

The Lord has since changed me from the inside and out. Filled me with His Holy Spirit, giving me a new heart, a new mind, and a hunger and thirst for His word and His ways. More so than ever before. God chose the path of being an Automotive Technician for me. I wanted to be an engineer, but He said no. Although that is only my physical job, He has given me so many more important things to do, so that is what I do.

At the beginning, I found ways to do His will. I first started changing every customer’s radio station to a Christian station in every car I entered. Then, when I discovered Gospel tracts, I would hide one in their car so they would find it later, trying not to miss a single one. I work hard to do everything possible to do God’s will, pressing on as He prompts me. I have walked the streets and stood for countless hours outside sporting events, concerts, and other places where people gather, offering them the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by word or in written form on Gospel tracts.

I write and spread the instruction of God’s Word, deliver the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all the lost that I can, even to multitudes in other countries, through my website and other social media platforms for a decade or so. I also support other ministries with the same focus and goals.

I do this on my own with very little help from anyone else except for one close friend. I do what He asks of me to the best of my ability, serving the Lord, working heartily for Him, and doing it according to His will, even if I don’t understand or know where I am going. I trust Him and have faith He knows what is best.

I know that I have been given a great task and responsibility to fulfill, more so than anyone else knows or understands. That is between myself and God the Father, who has His plans prepared for me ahead of time, and I will continue to make do with whatever He gives me. I am grateful to Him that at the time of need, He always gives me what I need, the strength to do it, and the direction to know where to go. It is Jesus I rely upon.

Everyone to whom much was given, of him, much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. Luke 12:48

Many do not understand, nor could they understand what He asks me to do. Some do not approve, try to stand in the way, and oppose the work. But they will have to stand before the Lord on their own account. He will be their judge and will move them out of the way according to His will. But I know this: I will stand firm in the task the Lord has given me and for my own actions, and no one’s opinions matter but only the Lord’s approval. The opinions of men mean nothing.

Some day they may see and understand. But if they do not and if it is not until heaven, that is ok with me. What is done in secret for the Lord, He will reward. We should all desire to reap a good reward from God and not the measly rewards of men’s applause.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:4

I pray that you will take my example, as I have taken the example of many godly men and women before me, and that you will desire the ways of the Lord, the will of the Lord, and that you will follow and obey His every desire for your life. No matter what it may be or how hard it may seem. His ways are the best.

Not that I have done it perfectly, no one can, but it is the pure desire of my heart to please my Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Scripture says, it is from the heart that everything flows. Good comes from a good heart and evil things from an evil heart. Do good, put your desires aside, trust God by faith, and follow His lead to do the good work He has prepared for you to do since the creation of the world.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10