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Have you ever thought about yourself as a Servant?  The bible teaches us that we are servants of God once we decide to dedicate our lives to Christ and follow after his teachings. The typical term “servant” means a person who performs duties for others, especially a person employed in a house on domestic duties or as a personal attendant.  In the more religious thought, it is a devoted and helpful follower or supporter or “a tireless servant of God.”  The hymn about being a servant has some really touching thoughts to consider. 

“Make me a servant Lord, make me like you. For you are a servant, make me one, too.  Make me a servant, do what you must do. To make me a servant, make me like you.”

“To love my brother, to serve like you do.  I humble my spirit, I bow before you. And through my service, I’ll be just like you.  So make me a servant, make me like you.”

“Open my hands Lord and teach me to share. Open my heart Lord and teach me to care,  For service to others is service to you. Make me a servant, make me like you.” (By Jimmy and Carol Owens)

Consider the following verses:

Philippians 2:6-8: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross!

2 Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Oh Lord my God!  Do we wonder about our God and his creation?

In Romans 1:18-20–The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

In Psalm 19:1-4–The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.

God’s revelation to us comes from two marvelous works, the Bible and nature. This hymn I’m referring to proclaims the masterpiece of creation that reveals God’s majestic power and love to every person on a daily basis.

In Romans 1:18-20, God tells us that all people have the inherent ability to hear God speaking to them through the testimony of nature. In the Old Testament, God speaks through David saying: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech… There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard”

O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder. Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made; I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed. 

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, how great Thou art. Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

And when I think of God, His Son not sparing; Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, how great Thou art. Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

  

Hearing Gods Music– scriptures often remind us that it’s not enough to have ears, we must use them. Is God’s word for us music to our years? How do we hear Gods voice or his music in this busy world? Jesus prayed often in quiet places. He needed time with the Father. He needed to have time to listen to “the music.” We are a busy people. We can’t focus very often to the point we hear Gods music. John 10:1-18 describes how God wants a relationship with us. Do we recognize when God is trying to guide us, when he is trying to mold us, or even when he is telling us to change what is going on in our lives? The bible teaches us that there is a time got all seasons but we have to be able to acknowledge when God is attempting to direct our lives in the pattern of Jesus. 

Trust is a difficult thing to totally grasp. It is earned and not purchased. It takes a very long time to obtain but can be lost in s second. 

A definition of trust is “an assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something, one in which confidence is placed, dependence on something in the future or hope in someone or something that you have been promised.”  

Have you heard the term “I’ve got your back?”  What does that mean?  Well, it should mean that you can totally trust someone to be on the watch for you “just in case!” 

What then does it mean to “trust in the Lord?  Or, trust in Him always?

Some scriptures to consider:

Nahum 1:7–The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.

1 Timothy 2:8–Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

1 Thessalonians 1:2–We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.

1 Thessalonians 5:17-19–pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.

Psalm 25:1-2–In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.

Psalm 56:4–In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

Psalm 62:8–Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Isaiah 25:9–In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

  

What is the life pursuit all about?  What “toys” are we accumulating or goals striving to accomplish?  The game of life and the chasing of our dreams can be distracting to say the least.  I wonder what the day to day or long term goals were for the rich farmer described in the Luke 12:16-21: And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

There are two critical points in the last sentence which are storing up things for themselves and not being rich toward God!

In Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The Bible mentions rewards for those believer who serve the Lord faithfully (Matthew 10:41). A “great” reward is promised to those who are persecuted for Jesus’ sake. Various crowns are referred to in 2 Timothy 4:8.  Jesus states that He will bring rewards with Him when He returns (Revelation 22:12).

In Matthew 19, the rich young man loved his money more than God in a fact that Jesus pointed out. The issue wasn’t that the young man was rich but that he “treasured” his riches and did not “treasure” what he could have in Jesus when he was told to sell his possessions and give to the poor, “and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (verse 21). The young man left Jesus sad, because he was very rich. He chose this world’s treasure and so did not lay up treasure in heaven. He was unwilling to make Jesus his treasure. The young man was very religious, but Jesus exposed his heart of selfishness. 

Can we reach a point in time where our Faith is the solution or fallback in dealing with the daily struggles and challenges we face?Part 1

What will you do with the pearl that you find in your heart?

Pearl of Great Price 

By this time it ought to be clear that Jesus Christ is the merchant, the price paid was His life, and the church (the individual Christian in a very narrow sense) is the pearl. The church is one pearl, one body, composed of those He has sought out through the ages to be a habitation for God by His Spirit and who will be His bride at His return. This beautiful and meaningful little parable shows some of the extent of His labor of love for us.

How do you plan your life?  Do you plan with a pen or a pencil?  What’s the difference?  Think about the following picture I found but don’t know the author or who designed it but it makes a very interesting point.   
None of us live a perfect life and many of us wish we could change things in our life. 

You may not agree with what I am about to say. I want to address the current trend of what appears to be Christians seeking churches that appeal to them from an entertainment perspective rather than finding a church to plug into to use your talents in worshipping with other Christians. 

There seems to be a common trend for younger Christians and young adults and that, in many instances, they are searching for in a place of worship to find and searching for worship aspects that are entertaining. 

Why do we go to a place of worship? For what reasons do we get ourselves ready and head off to a place of worship?  What are we exactly looking for when we seek a place to worship? Are we looking for a place that we can become involved and participate in worshiping our God with the God-given talents we have with other Christians or are we looking for place to be entertained and sitting in our “theater-like seats?”  And exactly what makes us like one church versus another?

Let’s start from the beginning. Let’s start with how parents worship with their children from an early age to their late teens.  But I also want to address how parents with teenagers spend time with their children along with other parents and their children not only at worship time been in other times of good Christian fellowship as well.  I submit that these are critical times where critical thinking and observations are made by tender hearts that have a long-lasting impact in how our children view time spent with other Christians both in worship and outside of worship.

But there is another critical component. It is the corporate worship service as well. If we don’t start, at an appropriate early age, including our young men in “worship related activities and responsibilities,” how can we expect that when they are 18, 25, or even older to automatically be looking for a place to get involved and serving others and God versus looking for a church that appeals to “them?”

We all have God-given talents that are to be put to use. [put parable of talents]. 

Matthew 25:14-30 NIV

[14] “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. [15] To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. [16] The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. [17] So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. [18] But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. [19] “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. [20] The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ [21] “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ [22] “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ [23] “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ [24] “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. [25] So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ [26] “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? [27] Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. [28] “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. [29] For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. [30] And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Don’t serve father and mother but me.  

Timothy was young but serving. 

King David was young when chosen.  

Worship thy God with all thy heart, mind, and soul?

Is our church service structured to be entertaining or engaging for serving?

Walk in the spirit as he is in the spirit. 

Acts 2:38 ……Acts 2:42-47 NIV

[42] They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. [43] Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. [44] All the believers were together and had everything in common. [45] They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. [46] Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, [47] praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

How did you let the days, weeks, and months go by and all of a sudden you realize that God is not as significant in your life as it once was? You begin each day with a “oh how am I going to get through this day” instead of welcoming in the day with trying to be the presence of God from the get-go. 

You rush around through the activities of the day and your daily routines and forget to have any quiet time with God.  Then, you realize, sometimes, at the end of your day, that you haven’t prayed to God at all or even thought about walking in any presence with God. 

Is your day is filled with doubt, stress, and even motionless routines rather than hope and faith in that God is walking with you and helping you through the daily struggles we face? When good things do happen, you don’t remember to thank God through prayer for being there and seeing you through those challenges. 

Do you ever ask yourself where is the joy in my heart that was once there?  (Proverbs 4:23). How about the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). How has all of the worry and stress taken over my life?  When there is no joy, your strength is weak. 

Let’s think about it a little differently. I think we often get it wrong as Christians. Just because we don’t always “feel” joyful doesn’t mean that we can’t be joyful. Is it because joy is ultimately not a feeling? However, some of us tend to live by emotions. It’s a choice, it’s a perspective, and it’s a command in the Bible.

Consider 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  This verse doesn’t say “I suggest” or “maybe you should consider it.” It says “be.” Also, the scripture uses “always” and “in all circumstances.” So, we aren’t just happy when things go well.  We don’t suddenly stop praising and thanking God because we are having a bad day. Always means always. This is when we have to ask ourselves  “What part of ‘be joyful always’ do we not understand?”

You might consider Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Also,Hebrews 13:15, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.”  Colossians 2:6-7, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

Maybe, the spark to rekindle the fire starts from within with an attitude that I will look for the good things that are happening around me and not focus so much on the negative things. Isn’t there some joy that you can find in your life today?