Chief in the Kingdom

 Matt 20:26,27

...But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Most people don’t like to be around bossy people. We respect leaders who are willing to lead by example. As I went through leadership training to become a school principal, this was one of the key principles that we were taught. There are times when a leader has to step up and make difficult decisions that are not popular, but they are done with the intention to better the school and community. Unfortunately, those who reach the top of the ladder are often tempted to allow the power of authority to take control of their personal aspirations and selfish desires. Seeking to be the “Chief” or the one who commands authority, must be done with humility of spirit, and recognition that they are there to lead and serve, and not to command or serve their own selfish interest. Aspiring to be at the top in the work of the kingdom, one must have a servant's heart. Jesus, our great example, washed the feet of the disciples, and laid down His life a ransom to save the world. Having a servant’s heart applies to all who are followers of Jesus, not just those who are gifted at leading. Being willing to clean the church, take food to a family in need, go visit someone who needs encouragement, help the elderly who are no longer able to help themselves, the list goes on. Your service may never be seen by others or may never be recognized, but Jesus sees your act of love and service. When the time comes to stand before God, He will say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of thy Lord” (Matthew 25:21)

Choose the Good Part

 Luke 10:41,42
 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things...But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Much has been said and written about these two ladies. Martha cared about making sure everything was in place and ready when guests arrived. Mary didn’t stress out about being ready, she wanted to spend time with Jesus. It is hard to fault Martha. It could be said that she was showing her love for Jesus by doing acts of kindness. Martha was upset with Mary for not helping out and leaving all the work to her. There are many lessons here that can be made, but Jesus had something to say to Martha that we also can take notice. Life and doing good can cause us to stress out, especially if we are not getting any help, but Jesus desires that we take time out of our busy day to sit at His feet and spend time alone with Him. Tomorrow will take care of itself, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and let God fill us with His love and presence. He also desires that we serve and do good to others, but we best not neglect what is most important. Take time to be with Jesus. Choose the good part. Everything else can wait.

Ambition to Serve

 Mark 10:44
… Whoever would be first among you must be a servant of all.

Ambition is a good trait to have. Setting goals and discipling yourself to work toward those goals. But Jesus warned us about having ambitions that were totally self centered. James and John had ambitions to be seated next to Him when Jesus set up His kingdom. They had ambitions to be in charge, to have power over others. Power is one of the P’s that destroy the soul. Along with pleasures of this world, pride of Life, and prosperity. History tells the story of those who sought power to rule kingdoms and nations. Such ambitions never come to a good end. Being a ruler or leader is not an easy task when it also requires being a servant. You must be able to take charge, have vision, know how to delegate, and be willing to listen to others. A good leader will demonstrate leadership by being an example of what needs to be done. Pauls says, “Follow me, as I follow Christ.” Jesus, the Son of God, lived a life of servanthood, and made the ultimate sacrifice by giving His life that we might be saved. Ambition to be like Jesus, to serve others, and be a servant of all is not done by human efforts. It requires a daily submission to God and His will and purposes. “All of my ambitions, hopes and plans I surrender these into your hands.” from the hymn, Jesus, All for Jesus, should be the prayer of our heart. Let us walk carefully, that we keep our ambitions in the center of God’s will.

Looking Out for Others

 Philippians 2:4
 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Jesus spoke similar words when he said to treat others the way you would want to be treated. Common phrases like, “I need to look after myself, because no one else will,” and “what’s in it for me,” are grounded in the carnal desire to please self without any regard to others. The golden rule of life in how we act can be summed up by putting Jesus first in our life, serving others in love, and taking care of our well-being emotionally, physically, and spiritually. The key to living each day with JOY is Jesus, Other, You. Living a life to serve is made possible when we realize that our service is towards God and not to man.  We are busy people with lots of responsibilities, but each day is given to us as an opportunity to serve others. Start each day and ask yourself, “How can I help someone today? Looking on the things of others and not just my own cares and burdens.

Seek To Be First

Mark 9:35 If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

In the Kingdom of God, being first has a different meaning than the earthly kingdom. Living in this world, being first means that you are at the top and greatest among those around you. Your VIP status grants you power to often get what you want, and bid people to serve you at your pleasure. Being popular, or having charge is not necessary wrong, but one must guard against abusing this status to serve selfish wants and desires. Being first in the Kingdom of God is to lay down your earthly status and be willing to wash the feet of those that follow you. To serve others, as Christ served on earth. We are called to be servants of God, to use our earthly status to be a blessing to those who need a helping hand. Being first in the Kingdom is being willing to receive the least among you and extend God’s love and grace. If you seek to be first, seek the Kingdom of God.

A Servant's Heart

Luke:22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

The culture of this world has define greatness by a person’s power, position, and possessions. Jesus set the record straight. It is not the person who has risen to the top of their class that defines greatness. If given a choice, most people would choose to be rich, famous and be served at a voice command.  The attitude of servanthood goes contrary to human nature. No one like being told what to do and how to do it. It goes against our nature. We want to have control over our own life.  Jesus asked the question, is it better to serve or be served? He concludes that His purpose in coming to this world was to serve. The Son of God, the most powerful being known to man washing the feet of sinful man. Being a true servant is a choice. Serving out of duty or obligation is not the attitude of someone who has a servant’s heart. Living takes on different priorities when we seek to serve others. Looking for opportunities, and being willing to sacrifice time and comfort to help others in need. 

A Good Reputation

Phil 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

We value a good reputation. We want people to think well of us. A good name is well guarded from being destroyed. There is good reason to maintain a good reputation among others. Our reputation influences our witness for Christ. It is the perception that others have of us. But our reputation is not who we are. What people think of us does not constitute our character. Following the example of Christ in the way He lived may require us to lay down our reputation and lay down our pride and be what He wants us to be. Jesus was not concern about being great in this world. He came to earth for a purpose, He came to give His life for you and for me, He came to show us how to live a life that is free from the opinions of men. How to walk this life’s journey, living a life of servanthood and humility. As the worldly mind, strives to climb the heights of power and popularity, the mind of Christ seeks not to be seen, but to serve.

Servant of All

Mark 10:44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

To be a leader, one must be willing to be led. The kingdom of God is design to be a servanthood citizenship. To be part of this kingdom, one must be willing to put aside their ego and self importance and bend down to “wash the feet” of others. Being great in the kingdom of God is not rising to the top of power and executing orders. Order is part of God’s kingdom, and many things are accomplish when we follow the order of command, but the work of God is accomplished when all in the chain of command are willing to be servants. “Ask of no man anything that you are not willing to do yourself”. Power, prestige, and popularity are all subject to the will of God and willingness to forsake it all to follow Jesus in the way. The way of servanthood and obedience is to follow the call of God to serve others.

The Mind Set of Jesus

Phil 2:5.8 “ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,… He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death—even the death of the cross.”-

The mind set of Jesus was always on serving others. He, who is the Son of God became human flesh to serve and die for humanity’s sins. The mind of Christ is to seek the will of the Father, to humbly submit to the needs of others, preferring others before self. This radical mind set is foreign to the philosophy of the world that promotes self gratification and self importance. Seeking to make a name, to make it to the top, climbing the ladder of power and popularity. Such is the mind of this world. Followers of Christ, that have the mind of Christ have picked up the cross, crucifying the flesh with all of its sinful desires that they may serve God and others as obedient servants of God. 

Serving the Lord with Gladness

Psalm 100:2 “Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing!”

Serving the Lord, following Him is not always easy. Everyone in life faces situations in life that are hard. Those who serve the Lord will often face undue persecution because we live in a world that despised anything that rebukes their sin and lifestyle. The world is no friend of God and any friend of God is an enemy of the world. But serving the Lord is not hard when you know that He is always with you, even when the road is difficult to travel. Gladness is an attitude that God gives us when life gives us a lemon. We know that God can take something that is bad and turn it into good. Entering into His presence, wherever that may be with a glad heart. Know that He is the giver of all good things. rejoice and sing unto the Lord for He is Good. He is love, and His love is everlasting. Serving the Lord is not a chore when Gladness fills the heart. 

Finding Life

Matt 10:39 “ He that findeth his life, shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for My sake, shall find it.”-

Looking into the mirror of God’s Word often shows us truth that reveals the true nature of our heart. God’s Word is full of promises of grace and forgiveness. We like reading how His grace can help us through difficult times and how His love for us is unending. The truth of these word gives each one of us comfort and help to carry on. But, God’s Word is also piercing and is able to reveal things in our lives that need to be changed. To make these changes, most often will require that we put our own desires and wants on the shelf and give up our rights so that someone else can be served or helped. Life in Christ is not all about the joy of having sins forgiven. Losing our life for the sake of Christ will be seen in the way we put others first, by the sacrifices we make to give up our own pleasures and comforts to show God’s love to those around us. Love and forgiveness is not a one way street. As we receive, we are to give out. Finding life starts by denying ourselves. picking up the cross of Christ and following Him in the way of suffering. 

Servant's Heart

Phil 2:4 “Look not every man to his own things, but every man also to the things of others.”-

We live in a very selfish world. Since the beginning of time when Adam and Eve fell and disobey God, sin has ruled in the hearts of all born into this world. The natural tendency of man is to look after himself. “Take care of number one, because no else will” is often quoted from those who advocate selfish living. There are times that we may feel that no one else cares and we need take things into our own hands. The coming of Christ and the promise of the Father by sending the Holy Spirit has changed this thought of thinking. Christ came to serve and not be served. As Christians, we have been born again into the family of God and now follow Christ as our Savior and Elder brother. He is our example and has shown us the way, how to worship God, how to treat others. A servant’s heart will put aside their own desires, so that they may serve others. We no longer look out for number one, but we now look for ways to help others, even if it means putting our own wants aside. “May I look to Jesus to help me to find someone who needs help, look for ways to render my service to other, living not for self, but living to please God and do the work He has called me to do”

Riches of His Grace

Eph 1:7 “ in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,”-

The favor of God is given to us as a gift. Because of His grace, we don’t have to suffer the judgment of our sin. His grace is a gift of love that was demonstrated by the giving of His life to pay for our sins. Forgiveness for our  sinful ways is provided through the shedding of the blood of Jesus. We do not deserve it, but His grace provides it. Our responsibility is to accept this free gift. When we do, He changes our life so drastically that we desire to live a life that will please Him. His commandments are not grievous, His grace allows us to live each day with desire to serve Him. A person truly saved by the grace of God is motivated by love to share this grace to others. To pass it forward, to show our neighbor that God’s love can give purpose to life and a joy everlasting. 

Sincere in Heart

Joshua 24:14 “Now therefore, fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the river and in Egypt, and serve ye the Lord.”-

A sincere heart is a tender heart. Sincerity is a character trait that speaks of someone who has good intentions. It is possible to be sincere, but yet misguided in our purpose. Being sincere is a good start, but it must be focus on truth. Being sincerely wrong or placing our purpose on things that are not true will lead us down a dead end path. Serving God with sincerity is to have a motive to do what is right and to walk in truth. Truth is given to us through God’s Word. There are many religions that are built on faulty premises and many good people sincerely adhere to the teaching of those religions. Their religion is built on a foundation created by a man’s belief. Christianity is built on the teaching of Christ, who is God and is truth. Putting away other gods is to put away the religions, or teaching that are not founded on God’s Word.

Anxious and Troubled

Luke 10:41 “And Jesus answered and said unto her, “Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things.”-

 Anxiety will not only robs us of enjoying life, but cause us to get our eyes of what really matters in life. We worry about many things that are really meaningless when it come to eternal matters. We become troubled about many things in life that make us wonder if God even really cares about us. Living life  has many emotions and there are times that those emotions don’t feel good. We want things to go without any problems and obstacles. We have expectations of ourselves and others and they often fall short. We worry how things will get done when no one seems to care. The temptation is to either complain or just give up. It was not in the serving that Martha was rebuked, but in her attitude toward her burden and Mary. I believe if Martha would had taken the attitude that she was serving to please the Lord and rejoices that Jesus was in her home to serve, that her worry about Mary would have been just a passing thought. Worrying about many things keeps us from drawing close to God. Jesus wants us to cast away our worries and live life knowing that He can take care of all the “stress” and “why?” in our life. We serve Him not to be seen of others, but because we love Him, and desire to know Him in His fullness. As we serve, we need to stop and listen to what He is saying, and rejoice that He speaks to us. 

Call To Service

Isaiah 6:1-13

Before Isaiah saw the Lord, he was a man who proclaimed the Word of the Lord without any love or mercy. His true calling was given to him when he realized his own sinfulness and lack of personal holiness. Our effectiveness to be used of God is not realized until we totally abandoned ourselves to God and serve with pure motives and compassion.
Clear Vision
• The death of the king- hindrances
• God, and God alone
Cry of the Seraphims
• Angels fire and charity
• Focus on Divinity- Holy, Holy
Conviction of Isaiah
• Isaiah’s sin is revealed
• His cry of confession
• There is none righteous, no not one.
Coal of Fire
• Fire- Symbolic of purification
• He will baptize you with fire
• Cloven tongues of fire
Cleansing of Heart
• Iniquity is taken away
• Isaiah’s SIN is purged
Call To Service
• Listening for the call
• The need for laborers- fields ready for harvest
• What is your calling- Are you a worker?
• Willingness to be used- available to God
Condition of the People
• Like Pharaoh-There heart will be harden
• It is our duty to obey regardless of response
Captivity of Israel
• Occupy- fulfill the call until His judgment
• Don’t be discourage- There will be a remnant.
• Noah & family, Abraham’s less than ten
• Narrow is the way, few be there that find it

Walking in the Spirit

Galatians 5:13-26
April 27th, 2008
There are many scriptures in God’s word that speak of a definite second work of God’s grace. The experience of the in-filling of the Holy Spirit, or “thee sanctification” is clearly taught in the scriptures. Paul does not mention in this book of any second filling of God’s Spirit, but Paul was concern that the Galatians were not allowing the Spirit to led them to a life of complete surrender to God. He sets the standard for Christian living, and insisted that the Holy Spirit is the only one that can bring them to the place of full deliverance and complete consecration to God. The Spirit leads Christian to the realization that Christ not only died for the sins that have been committed, but to knowledge that the nature of sin must be crucified. This is done as we walk in Spirit and come to the truth of full surrender to the complete will of God.

Liberty in Christ
• Set free from the law
• Freedom from bondage of sin
• Freedom with responsibility
Love and Serve
• Love trumps liberty
• Greatest commandment
• What does it mean to love self?
• Serving- doing for others
Lust of the Flesh
• The line between the carnal & human
• The war between the Flesh & Spirit
• Manifestation of the Flesh
• Sinning religion- “shall not inherit the kingdom”
Led by the Spirit
• Walk in the Light (Christ)
• Let us go on unto perfection
• Follow peace and holiness
• Failure to walk in the Spirit results in backsliding
Living in the Spirit
• Demonstrated by the fruit we bare
• They that belong to Christ will not fulfill the flesh
• How do we live in the Spirit?
Letting go of Self
• The flesh has to be put to death- “death route”
• Entire Sanctification is completed when Self is surrender to God
• It is not about me (vain glory), but about Christ