YOUR SERVING MATTERS

Jesus said, “The greatest among you must be a servant.  But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:11-12 NLT).  My thanks to all who served at Clay Community Church’s Fall Festival this past Saturday.  Excellently done!  Jesus says you’re great! 

Everyone who humbly serves for His Kingdom’s sake – Jesus says is great.  He says you will be rewarded and receive great honor.  Count on it.  God keeps His Word.  Though in the “here and now” you know something of His reward for serving, in the future there will be a big “pay day” for you.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Galatians 6:9-10).

KEEP YOUR FAITH ALIVE

James says, “Faith that does nothing is dead” (James 2:26 NCV).  Keep your faith living by doing.  Maybe your faith has waned in the last few months.  We all go through times of distress and questioning.  But it’s not the end.  Actually it’s the beginning.  It’s the beginning of another opportunity to believe God and to revive your faith in Him and in what He says.  As we move forward to obey and trust God, He will give us the will to keep going.

“Get the word out. Teach all these things... Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don’t be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation” (1 Timothy 4:11, 15-16 Mes).

We must pay close attention to ourselves, our everyday living, and what we say and do which teaches and influences those around us.  Persevere in the right things.  Get the word out about the good news of Christ.

It takes decisiveness to mature in our faith and grow in the character of Christ.  Your spiritual/emotional maturity is realized as you give relentless resolve to the teaching of God’s Word.  We’re in it for the salvation we have and the salvation others can have.  We’re into the last quarter of the year.  Finish the year strong for the cause of Christ with a living faith.

HUMBLE FAITH = CONFIDENT LIVING

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.  The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me (Psa. 116:5-6 NAS).  Often it’s in those times we are “low” and humbled that we see life in its simplest form.  And we realize that we’re responsible for some of its complications and some of our problems.  But it may be then that we are ready and willing to receive the Lord’s grace and compassion.  It’s when we’re low on answers, low on solutions, low on encouragement, low on strength – that we will look to the Lord to save us.  And He does.  Return to your rest, O my soul, For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you (Psa. 116:7 NAS).

I believed when I said, “I am greatly afflicted.”  I said in my alarm, “All men are liars” (Psa. 116:10-11 NAS).  Choosing to believe God through the good times and the bad is the issue.  Our troubles and pain do not define our faith.  They refine it.  The palmist is saying that he still believed God when he was “greatly afflicted.”  He still believed God though he felt alarmed at the lack of integrity of people.  Dishonest people don’t make God a liar.  And our emotional response to trouble and dishonest people doesn’t define our faith in God. 

What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me?  I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me.  I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people (Psa. 116:12-14 NLT).  How can we thank the Lord for His goodness and salvation?  The psalmist mentions three things we can do:

1) Offer the cup of salvation to others.  Invite others to take the salvation Jesus offers.  Hand the cup to someone you know.

2) Praise the Lord.  Give credit to Him.  Worship Him in your daily living.  Call upon Him for continued strength from Him.

3) Keep our commitments to the Lord.  We choose to be faithful to God.  We choose to keep the commitments we’ve made to obey, to serve, to give.  Yes God expects us to make commitments.  It’s called trust.  God expects us to be responsible with what He entrusts to us, and for us to be responsible we must commit ourselves to it.  

And we are to be responsible with our commitment to the Lord “in the presence of all His people.”  We need one another in order to stay responsible and strong in our commitments.  Accountability and grace and truth, shared with one another, strengthen our resolve.  As we trust God by keeping the commitments we’ve made, we say “thank You” to Him.

NOT GETTING EVERYTHING – BUT HAVING MORE

We’re not going to get everything we want or dream of.  But we can have what matters, and even more than we dreamed of. 

God tells us if we’ll live according to His instructions, He’ll produce through us a “good life.”  In Deuteronomy 5:33 the Scripture says, “Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.” 

The principle for us is that our opportunities for the “good life”, which is a life of trusting God, will extend beyond what they would ordinarily.  We don’t know how long the “ordinarily” would be except that it would be shorter.  God wants us to use the opportunities he has entrusted to us in this life for His purpose and direction.  When we steer our lives to His way of living, He responds to us by giving us what really matters.

Jesus said, “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them” (John 14:21 GNT). 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21).

YOUR OPPORTUNITY

2 Corinthians 6:4-10  As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses … in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God … through glory and dishonor … known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich …

       Serving God’s grace to others can take us though some difficulties.  To get the message of God’s grace, love, and salvation across to others involves sacrificial living on our part.  But when we think about what our salvation and eternal life cost it’s the opportunity we have to give back to God.

FIGHT, NOT FLIGHT

Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles.  Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. 1 Timothy 1:18-19 (NLT)

Paul gave instructions to Timothy for healthy and victorious Christian living.  Raising the awareness of spiritual war in which we’re all involved, Paul tells Timothy to fight well. 

Instead of using our energy to fight among ourselves, God wants us to put our energy into the fight for the gospel, making more devoted followers of Christ.  Paul tells Timothy to “cling to his faith in Christ.”  Sometimes we need to go back to our spiritual roots, our calling from God to be re-energized.  We need to refresh our hearts and minds with the life purpose God has entrusted to us. We need to remind ourselves of Whose we are and who we are in our relationship with Christ.  We need to read often in the Scriptures of how much God loves us and how great His grace is to us, greater than our sin and our flaws.  A clear conscience is essential for our victory in the battle.  If our conscience, our inner hearts are polluted with impurities and unconfessed sin, then we are vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks.

Stay fit for the fight.

Suit up in the spiritual armor of God each day (Eph. 5:10-18).

Take the time to recapture your calling God has given you.

Take steps of faith forward.

Keep your conscience cleansed.

RECEIVING WHAT GOD PROMISES

“These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live.  If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life.  Listen closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you” (Deuteronomy 6:1-3 NLT).

God gave a reason for Israel to obey His commands and follow His instructions.  They were to revere the Lord and obey Him.  Then they would possess the land, enjoy life, it would go well with them, they would increase in number, and they would enjoy God’s provision.  This is what the Lord promised.

What we can take from this is the spiritual principle of meeting the conditions God gives in order to receive what He promises.  In other words as we live in obedience according to God’s Word we will possess the promises according to His Word.  When we work at putting into practice what we find in the Scriptures, God will deliver on the promises He makes to us in the Scriptures.  And that’s when we enjoy real living – living the “new life” in Christ, fullness of life.  That’s when all will go well with your soul, with your inner person, your heart, and you’ll know the peace of Christ within.  And that’s when your life has an impact on others and your influence for Christ multiplies.  And the Lord will meet all your needs. 

•  Express reverence to the Lord God.
•  Listen to His instructions.
• Take the time and trouble to put God’s Word into your life.