"My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work" (John 4:34)
The most unhappy people in the world are the ones who live only for themselves. All that they do, they do only for their own sake. For these self- centered individuals, the most precious things in the world is their "self." Like a cancer that eats and destroys its own cells, the self-centered individual is slowly dying inwardly.
Sometimes these self-centered individuals mask their concern for their own physical and mental welfare by insisting that it is for "their family." They are blinded by the pleasures and comforts of this world, and seek only to gratify themselves as they hoard luxuries within their households. Blinded to the truth of eternity, they cannot see either their own true needs or the needs of the multitudes around them.
Sometimes, out of guilt, they will "do something good." But when they do, it is with one eye toward the glory that will come to their name, and the praise, influence and power that will hopefully follow. And if these glories do not follow, the self-centered "do-gooder" then becomes insolent, upset and unhappy. Bitterness replaces joy, because while the deeds were good, the inner motive was corrupt.
But what a change when we come to the place in our life when we put Jesus in the center--when we can honestly say, "Lord, for thy sake I am glad to do all that pleases you." Our priority must not be our own joy and happiness, but God's will, His name, His cause. Doing anything we do for His sake makes all the difference in the world. Then, without seeking it, the joy and happiness follow.
It is well to ask ourselves, "Why am I doing what I do. And why am I not doing some things I know need to be done? Why is there no joy in my heart and I feel empty, even doing good?" The answer could very well be this: our good works are no longer being done for His sake, but for our own pleasure. It is possible, as Watchman Nee once suggested, to be serving the house of God and to have forgotten the Lord who is Master of the house. "For me to live is Christ," wrote the Apostle Paul. He said he did all things; "For Thy Sake." May we this day--and always--live to do all things for His
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K.P. Yohannan ( - Present)
Dr. K.P. Yohannan, the Metropolitan Bishop of Believers Church, was born and brought up in Niranam, Kerala. Niranam has immense historical significance in the tradition of Saint Thomas, a disciple of Jesus Christ who planted the first church there in AD 52. K.P. Yohannan dedicated his life to God at a young age to serve the needy and downtrodden. He prayed, “Oh my Lord, let my heart break with the things that break Your heart” and his life was never the same. It’s his belief that one can only demonstrate God’s love by loving people. After over four decades of selfless service, he says, I have no regrets in praying that prayer for I know God has touched millions through what He did in and through me. It is all God’s grace.He spent the early years of his service in North India and traveled to the remote villages sharing the love of Christ and doing charitable works. Through numerous encounters during those years, he was instilled with an increasing passion to bring hope, peace, and comfort to the needy and deprived. His sacrificial commitment, farsightedness and aptitude to perceive helped him to lead a life of unhindered devotion to serve Christ and His church. K.P. Yohannan is also the voice of Athmeeya Yathra, touching millions through his daily radio and TV broadcasts. His 250 books offer practical and spiritual guidance on hundreds of subjects.
Recommends these books by K.P. Yohannan:
Living in the Light of Eternity: Discovering God's Design For Your Life by K.P. Yohannan
The Beauty of Christ through Brokenness by K.P. Yohannan
Crisis in Leadership by K.P. Yohannan
K.P. Yohannan is the founder and president of Gospel for Asia, a mission organization involved in evangelism and church planting in the unreached regions of Asia. Currently Gospel for Asia supports thousands of church planters in the heart of the 10/40 window.
Born in a remote village of South India, K.P. Yohannan's personal journey toward spiritual reality began at the age of eight when he gave his heart to Christ. While he was still a young boy, his mother began fasting each week, praying God would call one of her six sons into full-time gospel ministry. Her prayers were answered in 1966 when 16 year-old K.P., her youngest, volunteered to serve in North India with Operation Mobilization.
From 1974 to 1979 K.P. attended Criswell Bible College in Dallas, Texas, where he earned his B.A. in Biblical Studies. He was also awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Hindustan Bible College in Madras, India. During the time he attended Criswell, he pastored a local church in Dallas. However, he was unable to forget the millions still lost without Christ in his homeland of India, and knew God was calling him to reach his own people. In 1978 K.P. resigned his pastorate and he and his wife, Gisela, organized what is now Gospel for Asia.