Who do you Serve?

       When I was first saved and started going to church I was a very active member in the church I belonged to at that time, I volunteered for just about everything I could possibly fit into my busy schedule. But as busy as I was with church business, college, and work I made time for my friends as well because I believed that was important. The problem was, that my friends were not necessarily good for me. We partied quite a bit having weekly poker games, with lots of booze, despite the fact that we were all underage. I justified this behavior to myself by saying that my entire life couldn't be about God and work, I needed time to blow off steam, and have some fun too. I thought I was serving God at that time, and I thought He was okay with my lifestyle because I did lots of works at the church, so my drinking and partying was okay because my works canceled that out. I was so wrong in every way.
       I was not serving or pleasing God at that time, I was serving myself and pleasing myself.  There is no way to serve God part time, it is all or nothing. In reality I was a total hypocrite at that point and time, I was a liar deceived by my own heart and chasing after the things of the flesh, clinging to a belief that if I did enough good works in His name that I would be forgiven of my transgressions. But that is not what the Bible says, that is not how God told us it works. In Ephesians 2:8-10, we read this: 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.
        Nothing I did in service of that church ever brought me closer to God, nothing I did by my own hands could bring Him glory or praise because I was not serving God. I said my faith was in Jesus, and that I loved Him, but truthfully I was in love with my 'idea' of Jesus, and I served only my flesh appeasing and easing my conscience with myself that I wasn't a bad person because I volunteered at the church. This deception I lived in left me with a very shallow understanding of scripture because I was not seeking the Lord, I was seeking my wants. I wanted to look good at church, and I wanted to party, and I wanted to go to Heaven, so I justified my actions so I could believe it was all okay.
       Then the Holy Spirit woke me up and convicted me for my actions. I suddenly saw myself for what I was and I was deeply grieved in my heart over the pain I had caused my Father. I was given a way out of that group of people, and I obeyed when He told me to not look back, I pressed forward without any friends, except the man God used to separate me from them.    
       So, now I ask you to look in your heart and truly ask yourself; who do you serve? Is your life all God or all about you? Is it all about glorifying God, or your own pleasures?  Is it about what you can do for others, or what you can get out of them? Are you chasing after money, or trusting the Lord's provision? Are you seeking God's advice, or man's? Where does your faith really lie, in the God of the Bible or in the god of your heart?

1 Samuel 12:24        
Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.

Matthew 6:24        
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

1 Peter 2:9        
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Peter 4:10-11        
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.