14/07/11

Being a proud bondservant of God

Titus 1:1 - Paul, a servant (bondservant) of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,

I am in IT Industry and one of our businesses is IT services, wherein we handle the IT of other organisations which outsource it to us. We dedicate technical resources at the clients place. We have locations where the operations are very critical and customer works 24x7, 365days a year, so also do our resources.

At one of our customer sites we have a very high security requirement and our staffs are cleared by the government police agencies before they are dedicated there. The site being very big and operations complicated, it takes at times even 2 to 3 months before an engineer gets familiar to the physical site and customer operations, and really starts getting into the system. The induction being long and tedious we take serious steps to avoid retention rate.

The candidate goes through 2 to 3 interviews and background checks other than technical clearance before they are selected. Another retention policy we have in place is we ask the candidate to give a written commitment of working for at least 1 year. In technical terms it is called a bond and employees in whom the company invests in way of training or any other way, the company can make such an agreement with the employee.

We have seen people who are not really interested in long term commitment very hesitant to sign such a document and this becomes a good deterrent for them. But most people who really need the job and committed to their job actually look at it also as a commitment from the company of keeping them.

The Greek word 'doulos' meaning servant or bondservant is used in John 8 by Jesus as a slave servant but in today's message Paul uses it very proudly to describe himself. The Bible says we were slaves to sin and we are set free by the price Jesus paid. We were not only set free but also made sons and heir and no longer are slaves or servants.

In today's message Paul is very proud to call himself a servant or bondservant of God because he willingly committed himself to an agreement with God to work for God's purpose and God in His part will make sure He succeeds and gains a great reward doing the job.

Throughout scriptures where ever God and man made a covenant God has always been the honest keeper of the covenant. Many a times even when man violated the covenant God did not scrap the covenant but yet tolerated man and honoured His part of the covenant.

The task assigned to the workers of the Vineyard of the Kingdom of God is a very critical job and not anyone or everyone gets this job. Many apply and go through the internship but majority fail at the tests of being qualified to the job.

Believing and loving Jesus with all our hearts and wanting to do God's work is like filling the job application. It is when we start doing our walk with the Holy Spirit that our interview test and selection happens. Any and everybody can apply for the job but it is only those who have the Fruits of the Holy Spirit really get the job. And once we make that bond with God then we can be sure God will never fail to make us a success. He will provide everything we require for the job, He build us in every way and take us through every situation that comes and never forsake us even during those many occasions when we fail to keep our commitments of the bond.

So being in such a bond with God is a great honour and asset which Paul was proud of.

The Lord is asking us, would we not like to also be in such a bond with Him and be called His servants?


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, we were slaves unto sin and under the yoke of Satan. You paid the price to free us from sin and gave us authority to overcome Satan. You not only set us free but also gave us the ability to be your mature Sons from being your little children. Lord, You also gave us to choice to be part of your business in the process of becoming Sons. Even though being your own You still make a bond to show your commitment and You have shown over the years You have not failed on your part and have tolerated the worst of our failures to keep our part. Lord, we thank You for making this bind available for us and we pray may of your children commit to the bond to become mature Sons soon and that your Kingdom come in glory quickly...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
John 8:34,35
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

2 Timothy 4:7-8
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

James 1:12
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

1 Peter 5:2-4
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

John 17:12
12 While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

John 18:8-9
8 Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,"
9 that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, "Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none."

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)