Sunday, September 22nd
Another beautiful morning! Brrr it's chilly out this morning. We will have to start the wood burner soon. :-)
This morning I woke up at around 2:30am itching my head and hurting...it was bad. I got out of bed to sleep in the living room after taking some medication. I got back to sleep at around 3:30am and woke up at 7am to take my morning medication. Still itching and hurting. :-).
Yesterday afternoon Paul and I went to the wedding reception after all. Felt alittle better so thought we'd go. :-)
Planning on going to church and taking it easy after. :-)
I have been blessed...
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Today's Bible Study
By Charles F. Stanley
How do you know if you are a strong believer? Among other things, you willingly serve God and other people. In other words, you are obedient to the Father’s commands, and—following His leading—you respond to people in need. Although this description will characterize strong believers, God desires for all of His children to be His servants.
As Christians, we are called to a life of serving God and others.
Most people are more than willing to let others do dirty, uncomfortable, and difficult tasks. Those without Christ may at times manipulate circumstances and hurt other people to get the positions they desire and avoid having to serve anyone.
But as followers of Jesus, we are called to be different from the world. Our Lord said, “Whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matt. 20:27-28). These were shocking words to people oppressed by Rome, and they are no less surprising today. Human nature wants to be first, not last. We enjoy being in control.
Consider the powerful example our Lord set for us while He walked this earth. At the Last Supper, He willingly washed the disciples’ feet—something usually done by the lowest servant in the household—to demonstrate how they should treat each other. Even more significantly, He laid down His life in the ultimate act of service so that you and I can have fellowship with the Father (Matt. 20:28).
Following Jesus’ example, Paul, Timothy, James, and Peter—leaders of the early church—referred to themselves as bondservants or slaves of Christ. In their letters to the churches, they chose not to emphasize their leadership positions, but focused instead on humility and service to the Lord.
What does all this mean for today’s believer? As God’s people, we no longer have the right to live our lives as we please. We were saved, in part, to become servants of the one true God (Heb. 9:14). You and I are called to serve the Lord in whatever ways He leads us. Thankfully, Christ does not expect us to serve Him in our own strength.
Jesus, who lives within us, wants to empower us to serve God.
Have you ever felt too weak to serve God? Maybe you feel needy or inadequate, and wonder how you could possibly be a blessing to someone else. It might surprise you to learn that you don’t have to feel strong to be a good servant of the Lord. No one is strong enough to serve God in his own ability.
The Holy Spirit wants to equip you to be an excellent servant of God. Whatever the Lord calls you to do, He will enable you to do it. He will provide for you, energize you, strengthen you, direct you, and give you wisdom and guidance. In the following verses, notice the emphasis on God working through us: “It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13) and “Faithful is He who calls you…He also will bring it to pass” (1Thess. 5:24).
Another way to say this is Jesus wants to live His life through you. In His power, you and I are strong enough to serve the Lord. When He tells you to do something difficult, ask Him to enable you to make the right decision and to strengthen you as you follow His instructions. Christ will be faithful to provide all that you need to be obedient.
Our real master (or boss) is God, no matter whom we are serving humanly speaking.
Paul encouraged us, “Do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve” (Col. 3:23-24). When you trust God to reward you for your service to an earthly boss, your perspective on work will be transformed.
Knowing you are working for the Lord should affect…
Your attitude toward authority. Regardless of how your supervisors treat you, you should respect them, obey them, and act righteously. (Of course, if they ask you to do something unethical, illegal, or immoral, you must instead follow what God teaches in His Word.)
The quality of your service. If you knew Jesus was going to be at your office tomorrow morning, you would probably not show up late, groan about your assignments, or put off your workload. Instead of complaining, you would tackle your tasks energetically and with excellence. As servants of the living God, we need to strive to do our best on every assignment.
Your motivation. We should never take a job without first confirming it is God’s perfect will for us at that time. When you are sure the Lord has called you to do a certain job, you will have an easier time doing it with all your heart. Think of your work as an opportunity to show your love for God. This will motivate you to do your best out of love for Him, rather than duty or the desire to get ahead.
As believers, we are called to serve the Most High God. So try to find opportunities in your everyday life to serve Him. You can serve Him as a mother or grandmother, raising children to love the Lord. You can serve as a sanitation worker or a restaurant employee. You can serve him as a CEO or president of a company. When we stand before Jesus one day, it will not matter if we impressed other people. What will matter is whether we did our tasks as unto the Lord. So, whatever He asks you to do, be obedient, serving Him in the power of the Holy Spirit.
One of the best indications that someone has a strong Christian life is whether he is serving God and others. Unfortunately, people can deceive themselves into thinking they are serving God when, in reality, they are serving their own agendas.
For instance, someone may work on a church staff or they may hold a volunteer position within the congregation. In either case, they find great power or prestige by serving in a leadership role. Their motivation is to gain the admiration of others, power and influence, or a chance to be promoted. Outwardly, they serve the Lord—and with great success—but inwardly, they are seeking to advance themselves. They fool themselves and others into thinking they are humbly serving God.
Unfortunately, when service is done for selfish motives, God sees it as nothing more than wood, hay, and stubble—things that will be consumed by fire on the Day of Judgment (1 Cor. 3:12-13). People who have served themselves will have nothing to show the Lord when they stand before Him. That’s the reason wise people will examine themselves to make sure they are truly serving God, not themselves.
How do you know when you are serving God with proper intentions?
When your primary concern is the needs of others, the glory of God, or the work of the kingdom.
If you decide to serve because you want to help people who are hurting, you are probably serving God. If you are motivated to bring glory to the name of Jesus, you are most likely within His will. And those who seek to advance God’s kingdom (rather than to raise their standing within a community) are almost certainly serving God instead of themselves. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
When you are willing to make necessary adjustments to your personal life.
Serving God often calls for sacrifice. And as His servants, we don’t have the right to tell God what we will or will not do. If we refuse to obey, we are being rebellious servants. If we try to manipulate our circumstances, or work around His commands, we are being disobedient.
Even if He gives us something difficult, we should trust Him to do it through us in His power. We can pray something like this: “Lord, I don’t think I’m capable of that, but I’m willing to do it. Please give me the strength I need.”
Scripture says we cannot serve God and ourselves at the same time. Luke 16:13 says, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” The principle is that it’s impossible to truly serve God and anything else. This passage is specifically about finances, but the concept is true in other areas of our lives as well. Many times, “self” is a bigger problem than money. We supposedly serve God, but in reality, we are serving ourselves.
One way to tell if you truly are serving God is if you are willing to adjust your personal life to obey Him. Serving Him should be about what He wants, when He chooses, and where He leads—even if it feels uncomfortable or inconvenient.
When we are operating in a spirit of humility, we know we are serving God.
First Peter 5:5 says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humility doesn’t mean you are weak. In the biblical sense, it means you are strong enough and wise enough to yield to the awesome hand of God. It also means you don’t think more highly of yourself than you should.
Instead of considering what position you hold, view yourself as the servant of God. Guard against becoming prideful. Be careful not to plan for your promotion before God desires to grant it. Scripture says “He will exalt you at the proper time” (1 Peter 5:6). Patiently serve where God has led you and trust Him to open the door for greater opportunities if and when He desires.
How do you know when you are probably NOT serving God with pure motives?
You are more concerned about other people’s opinions than about what God thinks of you. Carefully examine yourself to see if you are serving primarily to seek the acceptance, admiration, or recommendation of others.
You are constantly seeking compliments or expressed appreciation. If you are continually seeking applause and praise, your focus is in the wrong place.
Any time you are tempted to boast or seek affirmation from people, remember that God is the source of all your skills, talents, and abilities. Only His continued grace allows you to be a blessing to others. And from the Lord’s perspective, no believer can claim any glory or credit. We are merely participating in the work He is already doing on the earth.
You seek something of value from the people you are supposedly serving. Don’t help someone and then expect him to do you favors, pay you back, or promote you in some way. God’s servants should not profit from those they serve.
In order for us to be spiritually fruitful, we must die to the desire of running our lives independent of God’s leadership. When you and I are willing to turn away from our self-centeredness and give ourselves to the living Lord, we will begin to bear spiritual fruit. Genuine service to God may be costly, but the reward in eternity is certainly worth it.
Another Great Day!
