Rev Sam Korankye Ankrah

For David, after he had served his own generation by The will of God, fell on sleep and was laid unto his fathers and saw corruption, Acts 13:36 What a testimony of a man. What other testimony can a man have?

"Served his own Generation by the will of God.

Now look at that scripture, not just serving his generation. No. But serving his generation by the will of God. Which means, David served not his generation by his own will, but he served his generation according to the plans and purposes of God for him.

I live us to take note of the will of God. That was a beautiful summary of a man's life. He served, according to the will of God. May I inform you that when it comes to serving God, you don"t have your choice; you don’t have your way. There is only one way of serving God, and that is God’s way. “By the will of God.”

When we talk of God’s will we are talking of God’s style, God’s method, God’s time. There is a mistake many of us make. Many of us think we are serving God, but we are just moving to and fro. We think you are serving me, but I am not pleased.

Let us briefly take a look at these categories of people who think they are serving God but God is not pleased with their service.

The first are those who want to serve God in their own time. They claim to be too busy for the service of the LORD. Look, the greatest opportunity one can have on this earth is to be given the opportunity to serve God not at your convenient time or in your way. It is according to the will of God.

Now understand this - Not that they hate God. No. They love the LORD, but they are saying that they are too busy. The implication of this is that God should wait for them to finish their own work first and after they have retired and are tired, then they can come and start serving God in their old age. LORD HAVE MERCY.

It is an honour to serve God and you want to do it in your own time and in your own way? No. anybody under service is under control. You don’t do what you want, you do what God wants.

The second group of people are those who gladly accept the responsibility to serve, and after that, they do God’s work half heartedly, half hazardly, with a carefree attitude.

No commitment at all. Whenever you receive a position of responsibility, it requires your commitment, and you have to make out time for meetings, visitation, evangelism etc.

The third category in this group are those who gladly make themselves available but will want to be paid for any service they render to the church and to God.

They want their reward here in earth. It hurts me when I see people who seek to short change the church in various ways. For hiring equipment, canopies, seats etc. they will seek ways of making profit from it. The evil spirit is responsible for such an attitude.

Now the reason why people adopt such attitude towards the service of God is ignorance of the benefit of serving God. “I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth; I said not unto the sons of Jacob, seek ye me in vain. Isaiah 45:19

You do not serve God in vain; you serve God receiving rewards that are all encompassing. But let us quickly look at it how the service of Lord impacts on your family life.

I’ve been young, now I’m old, I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his had begging bread. You serve God not only for the crown, but you are serving God for your children and your children’s children. When you serve, God looks at you, and  prosper your children.

By reason of David’s service to God, God showed kindness to his lineage even long after he died. “Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom, but will give one tribe to they son for David and servants sake…” 1 Kings 11:13

When you serve God, God looks at you and shows kindness to your generation. When you serve God, your seed will never beg bread. “And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and He shall bless your bread and your water. Exodus 23:25

For those who serve God, God will never allow their children to beg bread. When you serve God, no member of your family is permitted to die prematurely. They are not to be stagnated. They will all be productive, and above all. God will fulfill the number of your years. “There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: The number of the days I will fulfill.” Exodus 23:26.

There is the story of a man in our generation who served God and is still God faithfully, and God not only blessed him but also blessed his entire household. He is Oral Roberts.

Oral Robert is one of the pioneers of Pentecostal Revival Movement in America. A dedicated and committed man of God, he has served and is still serving God faithfully. One day, his doctor diagnosed and found him to be having prostrate cancer.

The doctor simply in found him of his findings. Then the doctor told him that at his age, it is not advisable to use knife on him but where nothing happens, then the best options is to go for operation. Oral Roberts then prayed and reminded God of how faithfully he has served him, he picked up his Tithe excepts and waved it to heaven and asked God to heal him. When the date for the appointment with his doctor came, he went to the hospital only for the doctor to discover that the disease, (Prostrate Cancer) has disappeared.

“And he shall serve the LORD thy God and I will take sickness away from their midst of thee.” Exodus 23:25. You can serve God and remain in sickness.