The Key To Serving God..

One of the greatest sections in all scripture. Learning to manage our selfishness is the key to serving God. Imagine all the people who pursue the things of this world: riches fame, power, or prestige. That will be their reward. The little satisfaction those pursuits can bring, will be all they get. Then at the end of their life, they will exchange their failed pursuit of joy, peace, and purpose for regret, guilt, and dissatisfaction. And worse yet, they will have to live with that forever. Jim Elliot re-paraphrased Jesus words when he said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose”. The great exchange, Jesus’ life for my life. There’s no better way of learning to manage our selfishness than The way Jesus taught. Trust me on this one.

23 Then He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it.25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?26 If anyone is ashamed of Me and My message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in His glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.27 I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.” Luke 9:23-27

Sin Causes A Lot Of Grief….

Sin causes a lot of grief. Anyone who thinks he can continue to sin and still be able to achieve righteousness is foolish. Unfortunately, our selfish, sinful nature makes us learn this truth the hard way, through trial and error.

19 It is pleasant to see dreams come true,but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them. 20 Walk with the wise and become wise;associate with fools and get in trouble. 21 Trouble chases sinners,while blessings reward the righteous. Proverbs 13:19-21

A Time Where Uncertainty Rules…

We live in a time where uncertainty rules. Worry, fear, and cases of depression are skyrocketing among us. With all this uncertainty, how do we deal with it as believers? First off, uncertainty is part of life. It’s always been here. Jesus said in His time, “we don’t know what tomorrow brings, today has enough trouble of its own.” James stated that “we are foolish to make plans without God.” God will provide. He will meet our needs. Look what He did for the Israelites during their 40 year wondering in the desert. He provided manna to eat. When they reached the Promised Land, the manna stopped, and was replaced with the crops from the land. God is trustworthy. He will provide for our needs. The solution to society’s worry and fear of uncertainty is to focus on the One Whom we should fear, and know we can trust to provide. In God we trust. Isn’t that the textbook definition of what Christian faith is?

10 While the Israelites were camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they celebrated Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month. 11 The very next day they began to eat unleavened bread and roasted grain harvested from the land. 12 No manna appeared on the day they first ate from the crops of the land, and it was never seen again. So from that time on the Israelites ate from the crops of Canaan. Joshua 5:10-12

In Order To Fulfill The Great Commission….

Evangelism 101. We don’t need to take anything with us in order to fulfill the great commission. We only need the Holy Spirit’s involvement in our lives to effectively reach the lost. Jesus tells His disciples this as He sent them out. They succeeded because of the work of the Holy Spirit, not because they possessed any great skill. In order to fulfill the Great Commission, Jesus gave to all believers, we only need one thing, a close and right relationship with God, which breeds into us a willingness to share the Good News. He does all the rest.

1 One day Jesus called together His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. 2 Then He sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 “Take nothing for your journey,” He instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes.4 Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town.5 And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”6 So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick. Luke 9:1-6

Receptive To Our Input….

A big problem in today’s society is most people don’t listen. We are so caught up in ourselves that our minds aren’t receptive to others. Jesus was the Master when it came to listening to others. Why? Because people matter. Jesus is the answer to the world’s issues. In order to diagnose a problem you have to listen to what the issue is first. Sometimes that takes time to diagnose. Listening is the key ingredient in the solution recipe. Right alongside the inability to listen is the inability to accept criticism. Again, it all boils down to our self-centeredness. Why would anyone listen to another when they seem happy with their life (even though they are not)? The ability to listen and accept criticism is a selfless act, a sign of humility. When we know our place in this world, and we know Who it is we draw our significance from, it opens the door to being able to accept criticism. It also helps our listening skills knowing we have the answer to the world’s problems, it’s just a matter of allowing the person standing in front of us to know they are being heard, before they are receptive to our input.

18 If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept correction, you will be honored. Proverbs 13:18

When We Are Discouraged…

When we are discouraged or sad or distraught, focus on God. Praise Him. Sing songs about what He has done. It gets the focus off of “me” and onto the Real Object of our affection.

As the deer longs for streams of water,so I long for You, O God.2 I thirst for God, the living God.When can I go and stand before Him?3 Day and night I have only tears for food,while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,“Where is this God of yours?” 4 My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be:I walked among the crowds of worshipers,leading a great procession to the house of God,singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration! 5 Why am I discouraged?Why is my heart so sad?I will put my hope in God!I will praise Him again–my Savior and 6 my God! Now I am deeply discouraged,but I will remember You–even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,from the land of Mount Mizar.7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas as Your waves and surging tides sweep over me.8 But each day the Lord pours His unfailing love upon me,and through each night I sing His songs,praying to God who gives me life. 9 “O God my rock,” I cry,“Why have You forgotten me?Why must I wander around in grief,oppressed by my enemies?”10 Their taunts break my bones.They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?” 11 Why am I discouraged?Why is my heart so sad?I will put my hope in God!I will praise Him again–my Savior and my God! Psalms 42:1-11

To Help Remember God’s Works…

The problem the world has is that it does not know God or fear Him. Why? Because people fail at doing the things to pass on His remembrance. Joshua built a memorial out of stones taken from the dry Jordan River bed. He did this as a reminder of what God did that day for the Israelites. Just as He parted the Red Sea, God did the same to the Jordan River so that Israel could cross over into the Promised Land. What do you do to help remember God’s works in your life? A prayer journal might be a modern day equivalent of Joshua’s stone memorial. Start one today.

24 He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.” Joshua 4:24