pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: serve


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Practice, Practice, Practice

In order for a famous musician to offer a great concert, they practice.  They begin with scales and other exercises and they practice their score.  In order for a dance to shine on the stage, they must build their bodies and practice skills as well as the actual routine.  The musician and dance both put in much for that relatively short time on the stage.  They do so that they will seem like ‘naturals’ on the stage.

Do we live our life in such a way too?  Do we read the Bible daily to gain knowledge and to find that little nugget each day that we can take with us and live with that day?  Do we seek God’s presence during prayer throughout the day?  Do we offer Him praise in both  the good and the bad?  Do we practice our disciplines so that living our faith is the ‘natural’ way that we live our life?

Or are we a little lacking on our daily homework?  Is our practice insufficient for the important moments when God calls upon us to be His disciple each and every day?  Or are we ready?  Have we put in the time so that when another in need stands before us, that it just seems natural to offer what is needed?  It is not for our glory that we serve.  It is not so that the person walks away thinking how great a person we are.  It is so that the person walks away thinking how great a God we serve.  It is so that light that shines in us draws them to the Light of the world.  That is why we practice.


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Step Past the Norm

How often in the past week have you felt wronged or hurt? Was it when someone cut you off in traffic? Was it when someone said something careless that actually hit a nerve in you? Was it when a loved one missed an opportunity that you saw was right there? Was it…? And what is the initial reaction or thought? So often we feel angry or feel that we need to ‘make things right’.

We are raised to stand up for ourselves and to do things on our own, to be independent. But in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus calls us to a radical love. He turns the old law of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” upside down. Jesus points out that it is not about revenge (which the old law was limiting) or even about evening the score.

Jesus calls us to love our neighbor. Here Jesus is extending it. He advises that when another strikes our right cheek to then offer the left as well. He advises that when someone asks for your coat to give them your sweater as well. He advises that when someone asks you to walk a mile, to go ahead and walk two miles with them. Jesus is calling us to respond with love – and lots of it!!

This all brings me to the question of why? Why respond to these things with such lavish love? Wouldn’t it simply be enough to not strike back, to just give our coat, to just walk alongside someone for the mile? But isn’t that what the world expects? Most won’t even notice if we as Christians just do what we are supposed to do. It is when we go beyond the minimal and step past what others would do, that people begin to see the love of Christ being lived out in our lives. It is then that they take notice and begin to wonder why as well. It is then that we are living as Christ calls us to live.


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With and Not For

Do you ever wonder what pleases God? Have you ever considered what truly helps us to grow in our relationship with Him?

Just because I go and occupy a pew for an hour on Sunday morning, does it necessarily mean my faith grows. Just because I go and help serve a meal at the Cornerstone Rescue Mission does it mean that I am loving and serving the needy. Just because I read the Bible does it mean I am growing in my faith. We can do lots FOR God but if it is not WITH God. Herein lies a huge difference.

A fast is not a fast simply because we skip a few meals. That is just a diet. A fast starts to become a fast when we feel the hunger and turn to God to admit our weakness and to seek His strength. When we declare our inability to do it on our own and call out to God, then we are building that relationship with Him. The physical need leads to and reveals our need for spiritual strength as well.

Similarly, when we read or hear the Word proclaimed and we take it in and claim it as our own, then we are making it a part of our lives and growing in our faith. When we sit down with someone at the Mission and share a meal with them, then we are beginning to know and understand the needy and how to make a difference in their lives. When we connect we are seeing through God’s eyes and not our own. Then our relationship with Christ grows as well.

When we choose to be a part of doing things with God instead of simply for God, then that makes a huge difference in our lives. And equally important it makes a difference in the lives of those around and with us. Ever worshipped with that guy who just seems so into it, so plugged into the Spirit? Be that guy. Ever served alongside that lady who seems that she would rather be there that anywhere else in the world? Be that lady. Ever marvel at how Jesus could love the least and the lost as if they were the only one that mattered in the world? Be that follower. Today.


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Where to Go?

Do you have a ’cause’ that is special to you? Do you have something that you are involved in and passionate about? Is it always easy to serve or give?

If we truly love something we are often willing to risk much for it. We are willing to invest in and support it in spite of it sometimes being difficult or have a ‘cost’. Yet making a difference in our world is what we are called to do. Through our faith we are called to be involved in the world as we share the love of Christ with those in need and with those who are lost.

Psalm 15 begins by asking the questions: “Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?” Well… those who love God, right? That is certainly part of it. But there is more. He who is blameless and does what is righteous. He who speaks truth and does not slander. He who does his neighbor no wrong. He who keeps his oath even when it hurts. This is just a partial list from Psalm 15. And the end line: “He who does these things will never be shaken.”

For those things that you maybe aren’t so passionate about, is it always easy to give? For those causes that you don’t jump in line to support, is it always a joy to serve? Are we supposed to be involved in every cause and to support every need? No. And that is okay. We cannot be involved in everything and we cannot support every need or cause.

But there is something out there that we can each get behind and support. Maybe it is with our time. Maybe it is with our finances or other gifts. Maybe it is through our prayers. The world is so full of need and we are called to be in the world. God leads us where we need to be – when we are listening and are attentive to His call. It is so easy to let the world drown out that still, small voice. But when we look at the world through Jesus’ eyes and when we walk where God leads, then we can dwell with God. And He will be there beside us and we will not be shaken.


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Serving and Growing

God calls us out into the world to be His light for the lost. At times we catch a glimpse of what God’s world would look like. In these moments we are truly blessed!

 

Last night we gathered with about 45 youth and a dozen adults. We shared our time with each other and also learned more about God’s love for us. This morning we will go out into the community to be His hands and feet. Caring for others is our method today.

 

Serving in the name of Christ is just one way to share our faith. It is our way today. What will be your way to share Christ today?


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All Those in the Middle

“He must become greater; I must become less.” That really is the crux of the matter for us as followers of Christ. How do we come to be able to say that about everyone – that our wife, our kids, our friends, that homeless person – that they get considered before we consider ourselves? To know that as Jesus becomes the Lord of our life, we become less and less?

That’s hard to do! But we see in John 1 an example to follow. John the Baptist drew people out into the wilderness to hear his message of repentance. Lots of people. Many who heard him stepped out into the water to be baptized. Pretty heady stuff! I wonder if I could be so humble. I wonder if I’d drift off into the “Look how well I am doing!” mentality and become self-absorbed. It is hard to keep a humble perspective when we are successful and popular.

Yet in spite of the crowds John continues to proclaim Jesus and continues to point toward Him. John realized his call in life was to draw people toward Jesus. He also knew that as Jesus’ ministry grew his own would decline. “He must become greater; I must become less.” And John was absolutely, 100% happy to say that. And he meant it!

As our faith deepens and the relationship with Christ becomes THE relationship in our life, we too can come to say those words of John – I must become less. As we humbly kneel at the foot of the cross and look up into the loving eyes of Jesus, we ask, “What can I do for you today Lord?” As we enter our worlds today, may we seek to be the lesser – to treat all as somewhere between Christ and ourselves.