So, I have hit a bit of a writing roadblock. No original thoughts have forced their way into my cranium for several weeks now. Solution? Co-opt the message of another one of my Faith Heroes, Pastor Rick Warren (gosh, I hope he doesn't mind!). Today's message resonated with, and through, me. Happy reading...
BY RICK
WARREN — OCTOBER 6, 2015
“Your attitude must
be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve,
and to give my life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28 TLB)
We are commanded to
serve God. Jesus was unmistakable: “Your attitude must be like my own,
for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give my
life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 TLB).
For Christians,
service is not something to be tacked onto our schedules if we can spare the
time. It is the heart of the Christian life. Jesus came “to serve” and “to
give” — and those two verbs should define your life on Earth, too.
Jesus taught that
spiritual maturity is never an end in itself. Maturity is for ministry! We grow
up in order to give out. It is not enough to keep learning more and more. We
must act on what we know and practice what we claim to believe. Impression
without expression causes depression. Study without service leads to spiritual
stagnation.
The old comparison
between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea is still true. Galilee is a lake
full of life because it takes in water but also gives it out. In contrast,
nothing lives in the Dead Sea because, with no outflow, the lake has stagnated.
The last thing many
believers need is to go to another Bible study. They already know far more than
they are putting into practice. What they need is serving experiences in which
they can exercise their spiritual muscles.
Serving is the
opposite of our natural inclination. Most of the time we’re more interested in
“serve us” than service. We say, “I’m looking for a church that meets my needs
and blesses me,” not “I’m looking for a place to serve and be a blessing.” We
expect others to serve us, not vice versa.
But as we mature in
Christ, the focus of our lives should increasingly shift to living a life of
service. The mature follower of Jesus stops asking, “Who’s going to meet my
needs?” and starts asking, “Whose needs can I meet?”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
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Have a wonderful day!
Love אנגלית الإنجليزية
Grace גרייס
نعمة
Gifts מתנות الهدايا
Action פעולה عمل
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