Your heart,not your skills

As I was asking God what he wanted me to post about today,he reminded me of a movie I watched not long ago,'Kung Fu Panda'.Maybe now you are like,'Huh?',yeah that was how I reacted too,but as I asked God further he began to reveal to me certain things.

I'd like to share from 2 characters from the movie,Po and Tai-Lung.
Po is the panda that does not have any kung-fu skills,but has a heart to learn and somehow,courtesy of an accident,he is appointed the dragon warrior by a martial arts master.In the movie,the dragon warrior is expected to be one who is an expert in kung fu and is going to fight off Tai-Lung,an evil character who is going to bring dstruction.Po did not fit any of the criterias set by the villagers and many doubted his ability.Po himself,at one point of time,doubted his credentials.But he believed in himself and trained hard and as the story goes,Po eventually defeats Tai-Lung.And this was achieved although Po did not have the skills required,but he had what many others did not,a heart of wanting to strive for the best.

Tai-Lung,on the other hand,was a martial arts expert.However,he was not appointed a dragon warrior because the martial arts mester saw that his heart was not right.And so although Tai-Lung met all the criterias the villagers set,the martial arts teacher did not appoint him simply because of his heart.

The villagers saw what was on the outside,the skills.But the martial arts teacher was looking at the inside.And although many doubted Po's ability as a dragon warrior,Master Wu-Gui said these two phrases continually,'There is no such thing as accident' and 'Believe'.He had relentless belief in Po.

Today I'm speaking to a few groups of people.
You are like Po.You have a heart that wants to serve God,that wants to give more to God,that wants to strive for the best for God,but because you think you do not have the skills required,you choose instead to lay low and prefer to stay where you are because you think that's the furthest you can go.If you are a person like this then I want to tell you today that it is not true.You might not have the skills,but God is not looking at your skills,God is looking at your heart,and God sees your heart.You want to serve,and God wants you to serve him.Friends you might not think God can use you because of certain reasons,that's what the enemy wants you to think,because it's not true.God wants to use you and can use you.God is not looking at your weaknesses,God is looking past your present into your future.Friends do not allow what you see as your weaknesses to hinder you from giving your best to God.With God your weaknesses will be turn around into strengths.

The second group of people I want to speak to is this.You are like Tai-Lung.You have the skills,you can serve God in the different ways very well.But somewhere deep down inside you,you know you're not doing it because you love God.You're doing it out of convenience,for pride,for recgonition,it's all simply for display.You have the skills,but your heart is not right.Friends if you know I'm talking about you then it's seriously time to ask yourself your motives for serving.I'm not askiing you to stop serving completely,rather I'm asking you to question your motives for serving.What kind of vision do you have when you are serving?You can do your assignments excellently,but all these is your hands,and God is not looking at your hands,God is looking at your heart.When your heart is right before God and your motives become aligned to God's will,your hands will automatically do things according to God's way and this is true serving.

The third group of people I'm speaking to is the leaders.You are leading a group of people,and this group of people may appear to be in a way,hopeless.They can't do things properly,their serving posture is wrong,their attitude stinks.But today God is saying to you,'Believe,there are no accidents'.Your people are where they are not by accident,but they have been strategically by God to be used mightily.As a leader you have to believe that one day,they will come to fulfill the vision you have for the ministry.You have to believe that they will grow and come to take ownership of the ministry and forcefully advance it.It's going to take time,but it's also going to take you to believe in each and every one of your people.Look at them through the eyes of Jesus.Dare to have relentless belief in your people.

Friends if currently you are not serving in any ministry,I want to encourage you to join one and start serving God.God wants to use you,he can use you and he will use you.If you are already serving in any particular ministry I want you to know that you are not where you are by accident.You have been strategically positioned by God where he can use you most mightily,but you must have a heart that wants to give God only the best.

Constantly live out the value of passionate honour even in your serving.