Tag: servant

Reaping What God Has Stored Up for Us

Matthew 25:18
But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.

What a shame it is to accept our salvation and then to remain mostly unchanged by the Holy Spirit within us. In doing so, we are like the servant that took the talent from his master and buried it in the ground without doing anything with it to increase its value to the master.

When we do not access all that is available to us through the Holy Spirit, like the non-productive servant we will see the flow of the gifts from Our Master cease. We will see ourselves denied the opportunity to reap from all that God has stored up for us. Remember Jesus Christ gave everything for us. He held back nothing. He expects the same from us in return.

Also remember that Jesus rewards those who are faithful in their service to Him. If we look for and seek the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we open our access to all the treasures of heaven. We enable God to prepare us to serve Him and bear fruit for Him in the manner that He planned for us. Often we will find that our harvest for the King is well beyond the limits of our imagination.

Let us eagerly seek the instruction and guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Let us hold back nothing from the Lord. Let us insure through our total submission that we reap all that God has planned for us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gifts and talents that You have given us. We call on Your Holy Spirit to take us beyond what we see and understand about our own capabilities to a place where we are releasing things in our lives that are not even imaginable to us now. May all the gain we see and all the fruit we bear be for Your honor and Your glory. We ask all these things in the name of Our Bountiful Lord, Jesus Christ.

Fear Not! Our Omnipresent Lord is Always With Us.

Hebrews 13:6
So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

The Lord is our helper. He is our mighty King, but He is also our humble servant because of His promises to us. He is able to help in ways that we cannot imagine. He is our helper when there is no one else there to help. His help is always suitable, seasonable and sufficient.

Jesus promises to be Our Helper, but He also commands that we hold Him to His promises. As written in Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

As the Lord commands, do we see Him in all that we do? If we do, there should be no doubt or drudgery in any task. For in every task we should find the power and the joy of Jesus. If we are experiencing a lack of joy in our circumstances, then we are not believing Jesus for His promise to take our burdens. If we are doubting the outcome of our efforts, then we are not believing Jesus for His promise to never forsake us.

Let us be strong and courageous. Let us make Jesus Christ our foundation. Let us learn to trust in and call on all the promises that God has revealed to us. Let us rejoice in knowing without doubt that He is working out all things for our eternal good. Let us find peace and comfort in the victory that is promised to us.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for loving us so much that You promise never to leave us or forget about us. We rejoice in knowing that You know every single thing that is going on in our lives and that You are working out all the details necessary for us to experience the fullness of joy through our relationship with Your Son. Teach us, Lord, how to rely on the Holy Spirit to be our helper in every element of our lives. Through our reliance on Your promises, may we find joy and find victory in our roles as grandparents, parents, children, citizens, employees, friends and neighbors. Through all these things may we celebrate serving You. Through all these things may we be light to the world around us. We ask all these things in the name of the One who is faithful and true, Jesus Christ.

The Freedom of Serving Without Concern for Outcome

1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

The first day on any job is generally very exciting and also somewhat stressful. Immediately, we are naturally concerned about the results that we are going to be able to produce in our new job. Consider how liberating it would be if the first thing our new boss told us was, “Just follow my instruction and do not worry about the results. I will be responsible for the results. You will be richly rewarded for following my instruction no matter what happens.”

If the boss we choose to serve is Our Father in heaven, then we have found the liberating boss that we have always longed for. More importantly, this is where God wants us. He wants us to serve Him without any concern about the outcome other than to have the faith that He will fulfill what He asks us to do for Him. He simply wants us to be instruments of His work, living vessels of His perfect love and forgiveness.

It may be entirely possible that we are taking on work for which no man is sufficient. Yet in submission to the Father, we are only asked to be diligent and faithful in carrying out our calling. We are certain to find that we have a co-laborer in Christ. Our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, will look over us, direct us and strengthen us as we do our part in bringing in His harvest.

Let us humbly sit at the feet of Our Master, Jesus Christ. Let us join Him in the work that He does for His Father in heaven. Let us rejoice in the service that we are called to do.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for allowing us to join You in Your work. We rejoice in knowing that You receive great honor and glory when Your children surrender to the rule and reign of Jesus Christ in their lives. Open our eyes so that we may see what You are calling us to do in Your kingdom. Release in us all the power and authority that is ours through Jesus Christ. Shield us from taking on destructive personal pride as we see success when doing Your work. We ask all these things in the name of the One who saved us and called us to join Him in serving His Father in heaven, Jesus Christ.

Modeling the Servant Heart of Jesus

Matthew 20:28
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Jesus Christ, The Son of God, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords came to earth as the Son of Man. He gave up all of His royal rights to become a servant of every man. His servanthood was so complete that He gave up His own life and He separated Himself from the Father in order to take on all of our sins so that we might have life with the Father.

Once we claim our eternal inheritance as children of God, we accept that which we do not deserve and could not possibly earn except through the grace and mercy of Our Savior. When we recognize that Jesus Christ served us to the end of our meanness, our selfishness and our sin, we should exhaust ourselves serving all men for His sake.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, should we not follow the model of Our Master? We should be in constant communion with the Father, just as Jesus was, so that we can determine the will and plan that Our Heavenly Father has for our lives. We should then be servants to all men in accordance to the will and plan that the Father reveals to us.

Let us model the servant heart of Jesus for the world to see. Let us draw those around us to the Son of Man through our living testimonies. Let our modeling of the life of the Son of God be what draws those around us to Our Savior King.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for allowing us to be bond servants in Your kingdom. We praise the name of Jesus who came as Son of Man to show us the model for living in accordance with Your will. We come before You to proclaim how unworthy we are of all that You have set aside for us to do in service to Your kingdom. We bless the name of Jesus who has made us worthy servants through the shedding of His blood. We pray, Father, that You fill us with the power of Your Holy Spirit so that we may pour ourselves out to all men. May the hearts of those around us be prepared to receive what we have to offer in the name of Our Savior. We pray all these things in the name of Our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Proclaimers of the Good News

Romans 1:1
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

In one simple statement, Paul points out three revealing things about himself. It is important to understand that these three things apply to all Christians.

  • We are called to be servants of Jesus Christ.
  • We are all called to some specific purpose for which God created us.
  • We are all separated unto the gospel of God.

When studying the original writings, it is suggested that the word that was used for servant was actually quite a bit stronger. It was rendered in the original text as “bond servant” which means someone who is subject to the will and wholly at the disposal of another. Thus, we are called not only as servants to Jesus Christ, but as bond servants to Our King.

As His bond servants, each of us are called to a specific purpose in service to His kingdom. But according to His will, we are also “separated unto the gospel of God.” We must realize that the redemption that we have received through the grace and mercy of Almighty God has separated us from who we were. We are now righteous because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf. We are proclaimers of the Good News through our spoken words and our living testimony.

Let us strive to find our calling in Christ. Let us ask the Lord to reveal to us how He wishes to use us to proclaim His Gospel and to serve in His kingdom. Let us surrender to His will.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for separating us from the world through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus. We bless His name for the blood that He shed so that we could live in the spirit and not in the flesh. We pray, Father, for the grace to abandon our old lives. We ask that You help us to understand the fullness of the redemption that You have provided us through Your Son. We beseech You to give us the courage and the strength to proclaim Your Good News to those that you have placed in our lives. May the world see that we have been separated unto You, Lord, and that we are living as bond servants to You. We ask all these things in the name of our Blessed Hope and Assurance, Jesus Christ.

Prepared to Rule by Trial and Tribulation

Genesis 41:40
You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.”

The Pharaoh gave Joseph great power and responsibility in his kingdom. He proclaimed Joseph to be his equal except in the final level of authority. In a sudden change of condition, Joseph went from imprisoned slave to a ruler of great standing.

So it will be for us one day as we take our places in the kingdom of God. We will escape our carnal lives where we are enslaved to sin. We will then stand before God in the image of His Son with the same glorified body. We will be given the power and responsibility to rule and reign under the authority of Jesus Christ for all eternity.

Joseph went through many trials and tribulations in his life that prepared him to rule over Egypt. None of it was easy, nor was it brief. Joseph went from the pit to the prison to the throne room all under the hand of Almighty God. All of it was necessary for Joseph to be able to handle all that he would be given by the Pharaoh.

So it is with us. We have a lifetime of trial and tribulation. God uses all of it to prepare us for our place in His kingdom. We will grow in wisdom and discernment just as Joseph did. All we have to do is submit to the will of God in our lives, just as Joseph did.

Let us follow in Joseph’s footsteps. Let us take hold of the vision that God has given us for our lives. Let us trust completely in Our Lord as we encounter challenges that would seem to deter us. Let us work our way obediently along the pathway of sanctification that the Holy Spirit has laid out for us. Let us rejoice in knowing that one day we will rule and reign with Jesus at the Throne of Almighty God.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for preparing a place for us in Your kingdom. We bless the name of Jesus who made it possible for us to be rescued from the prison that is this earth. We pray that the Holy Spirit will lead us into submission to Our Savior, Jesus Christ. May we learn to lean on Him in all things. May we learn to live under His absolute control. May we claim our rightful places in Your kingdom. We rejoice in knowing that one day we will escape our slavery in this world to become bond servants of the King of Kings for all eternity. We ask all these things in the name of our mighty and holy King, Jesus Christ.

Taking on the Attitude of the Son of Man

1 John 2:6
Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

No matter where we are in life, no matter what season we are in, no matter what circumstances surround us, we must choose to live our lives as Jesus did. We must have the attitude of Christ in all things. It is not enough to learn all we can about Jesus’ life. We must learn to live our lives as Jesus lived His.

Jesus was willing to leave His seat of glory in heaven in order to come to earth and fulfill the plan of the Father for His life. He humbled Himself by giving up His heavenly stature and taking on the form of a man. He willingly accepted all the scorn, all the mockery and all the suffering, even unto death. He always put the interest of others first. He told us Himself that, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

Let us ask ourselves with what attitude do we approach all things in life. Let us undertake serious self-examination. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to examine us and let us know whether we are truly living as Jesus did.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for sending us Your Son as the perfect model for our lives. We exalt the name of Jesus who was the only man who ever led a life that was without sin. We lift our hands in praise and worship as we bow before Our Savior with a grateful heart. We pray, Father, that You will show us how to live the Kingdom life on earth like Jesus did. We ask that the Holy Spirit lead us to live our lives with the attitude of Christ. May we be humble, gentle and obedient in all things as He was. We ask all these things in the name of spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

The Will of God in Our Daily Lives

2 Chronicles 27:6
King Jotham became powerful because he was careful to live in obedience to the LORD his God.

Jotham became king at the age of 28. He was obedient in all things. Because of his faithfulness, he was given victory in all of his battles and a resting place of honor when he died.

God does not overlook a single thing in our lives. Everything that we do is examined by Him. He delights in our obedience in even the simplest of acts.

On the other hand, we can miss out on the promises of God in our lives simply by not complying to the small things of life that the Holy Spirit may place on our hearts. How many times have we passed up the opportunity to assist a grouchy neighbor, lend a helping hand to a needy stranger or respond politely and with love when receiving poor service? Each time we passed on one of these or numerous other Holy Spirit led opportunities, we deprived God of His delight in us. It is quite possible that we also limited the release of His power in our lives. It is important that we seek and give full consideration to the will of God concerning all elements of our daily lives.

Let us listen to the urgings of the Holy Spirit as we go through our daily activities. Let us surrender ourselves to being vessels of the perfect love and forgiveness that we have received from Our Heavenly Father. May the fruits of our obedience delight the Lord.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us the opportunity to bring honor and glory to Your Name when we allow the marvel of Your grace to be exhibited in our lives. Teach us, Father, to recognize You and Your love in the simplest of tasks that are performed in service to others. Lord, we pray that You release the fullness of Your power in our lives as we learn to share Your perfect love and forgiveness with the world around us. We ask all these things in the name of the Lord of Our Lives, Jesus Christ.

Delivering the Gospel Message by How We Live

1 Corinthians 9:22
To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

Paul shared with the Corinthians his passion to carry out the good work of delivering the message of salvation to all men. He emphasized that this required him to be a servant to all men, regardless of their stature or their spiritual state. In doing so, he was also teaching them that carrying the gospel to all men was their calling also.

God calls people to all walks of life to insure that His gospel message is spread to the world. He calls some to full time ministry, but most are not. Most of us are called to traditional occupations and lifestyles where the Lord wants us to let Christ be revealed by the way we live and by the way we treat others.

God wishes for our messages of love, compassion and forgiveness to be the same whether we are in a boardroom or in a maintenance shop, whether we are in a health club or in a hospital, whether we are at a church function or in the visiting room of a prison. He wants our messaging system to be on non-stop.

Let us surrender our lives to Our Savior. Let us allow the gentle urgings of the Holy Spirit to draw spiritual production from us within the structure of our natural lives. Let us strive to have our living testimonies become pathways to salvation for others.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the perfect love, compassion and forgiveness that You pour out onto each of us. We praise the name of Jesus who made it possible for us to become vessels of Your grace. We pray that the Holy Spirit will enlighten us and invigorate us to carry the salvation message with us as we walk through our daily lives. May we bear fruit for Your kingdom wherever our paths on earth lead us. We ask all these things in the name of the Tower of Salvation, Jesus Christ.