Pencils

Mother Teresa once said, “"No one thinks of the pen while reading the letter.  They only want to know the mind of the person who wrote the letter.  That's exactly what I am in God's hand--a little pencil."

When you woke up this morning… how did you see yourself?  The star of your own one-act play called life?  A doormat?  A VIP?  Or maybe as someone who is insignificant in the grand scheme of things.  In any case, I want to assure you this morning that you matter.  You were put on this earth for great things.  But that greatness might not be for what you think.

You weren’t put here on this planet to be great for your own sake but for Gods. 

God must get bigger and we must get smaller. 

Scripture says it this way in John 3:30 “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”

Let that sink in a second.  Life isn't about you.  It isn't about me either.  We are tiny pencils writing God’s story that will impact the world.  Some of us will write beautiful stories of love, sacrifice, dedication, and a willingness to serve others.  Others will defy God and scribble out a message of selfishness and greed.   Which are you? 

God wants to write a new chapter for this world using you.  Are you willing to let Him?  Are you able to accept your role as HIS pencil and not your own?  Are you ready to surrender your agenda for Christ's?  Today, take a minute and thank God that He uses someone as broken as you and I to share His message with the world.   

Eyes Closed

A 28-year-old woman was recently hospitalized after running her car into a North Florida home.  Police reported that the driver lost control of her vehicle, ran a stop sign, plowed through an intersection, and jumped the curb before coming to a stop against the side of a residence.  When asked what happened, the driver responded that she was busy praying... with her eyes closed.

There’s nothing wrong with praying... in fact, the Apostle Paul tells us to “Never stop praying” in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.   And while many of us would never drive with our eyes literally closed... some of us do pray blinded by something else...  selfishness.

-       -  We pray that others would change so that our lives would get easier

-       -  We pray for things that others are doing wrong while we are doing the exact same thing

-       -  We pray for our finances but aren’t obedient to God with what He’s already given us

-       -  We pray that God would bless our lives yet know that we are making choices that don’t line up with His Word

God hears EVERY prayer... even when our eyes are on ourselves when we talk to Him.  He cares deeply for us and wants us to lift up our requests regularly.  However, when all we do is pray for things that involve or benefit us, we run the risk of becoming prideful.  

As Christ-followers we are servants.  Our primary focus shouldn’t be our needs but the needs of others... to love, serve, and lift up those that God has put in our path.  We have to keep our eyes open at all times to see what THEY need so that we can intercede on their behalf... knowing that God will provide for us in His own way at the same time. 

Take a few minutes today and look over your personal prayer list.  How many of those requests solely benefit you and how many help others?   My prayer is that the eye-opening results would encourage you (and me) to consistently evaluate how we can become better at being others-focused.    We shouldn’t neglect our needs... but closing our eyes to those around us can cause us to drift from the road God has set before us. 

Very Little

Richard Wurmbrand was a Romanian Pastor who spent fourteen years in Communist prisons suffering for his faith in Christ.  When he wasn’t in solitary confinement, he endured physical torture and exposure to long periods of hunger and freezing temperatures.  In prison, he was given one slice of bread per week for food. Every tenth week, he would “tithe” his food... giving the entire slice to a weaker prisoner as an act of obedience to God.  

The Bible tells us that caring for those less fortunate is an important part of following Christ.  Psalm 19 says that as we care for others... we are caring for God... and that He will repay us for our generosity.  Many hesitate providing for the poor because they look at what they have and don’t think it’s enough to make a difference.   Let’s choose to follow the example of Pastor Richard... even in unfavorable times... with very little... we should remain generous to others and obedient to God... pouring into the lives of those with even less than we have.  It’s that kind of heart that rises above circumstance and achieves true greatness for the Kingdom.

Serve Them

Others.  Our neighbors.  Those God has placed in our path.  Life is all about them.  The Bible tells us that we are put on this earth to serve them… to love them… to forgive them.   

But the gravity of the flesh pulls us in the opposite direction doesn’t it?  

We make decisions based on how it ultimately affects us.  What we wear… what we lend… what time we give… all skewed by how that decision is beneficial to our own agenda.  Why is living for others so difficult?  Does God really tell us that our whole purpose in life is to abandon self and embrace serving those around us?

Let’s take a look…

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”  Galatians 5:13

We are here with a purpose.

We all have gifts.

Our gifts are not for us.

They are to serve others.  

Serving His people is what we were created to do.  Loving on the lonely... reaching out to the hurting... serving those that are seeking Christ.   

The road to our God potential leads us through the valley of selflessness... putting others first... sacrificing so that people we may not even know can come face-to-face with a Savior who sacrificed everything on their behalf.

And we get to do that.  

We get to be servants.

Notice what I said there… we GET to be servants.  God allows us to care for His people.  Those you encounter today are no accident.  Even the challenging ones…  Every single person you meet today is intentional.  

Serve them.  Not with selfish motives…. but with a heart filled with Christ’s love.  

I can hear you saying to your computer… but Pastor… who’s loving me?  Who’s taking care of me?  If I don’t look out for myself nobody will!   I hear you.  But I also know that even when the world seems to turn its back on you, Christ doesn’t.   HE will take care of you.  HE will provide for your needs.  HE will never let you break under the strain or buckle under the weight.  HE is always there always.  Even when you don’t feel Him, sense Him, or even believe He’s there.  He IS there.  He is determined to provide for and love on you.  It’s His heart.  It is why He came to begin with.  Let Him take care of you while you take care of those He has put in your path.  

If you are a Christ-follower… it’s part of your calling.  

Resist the urge to dismiss today’s devotional as wishful thinking.  It wasn’t written for someone else.  It’s for you.  And it’s for me.  Remember, putting ourselves behind others and serving them may be perceived by the world as weakness… but it is a strength in the eyes of Jesus.  And He’s the only one that matters.  

Neighbors

NEIGHBORS (Thursday's Devotional)

Others.  Our neighbors.  Those that God has placed in our path.  Life is all about them.  The Bible tells us that we are put on this earth to serve them… to love them… to forgive them.  

But the gravity of the flesh pulls us in the opposite direction doesn’t it?

We make decisions based on how it ultimately affects us.  What we wear… what we lend… what time we give… all skewed by how that decision is beneficial to our own agenda.  Why is living for others so difficult?  Does God really tell us that our whole purpose in life is to abandon self and embrace serving those around us?

Let’s take a look…

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”  Galatians 5:13

“And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Mark 10:42-45

“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.”  1 Cor. 4:1-2

“It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,”  Matthew 20:26

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ...” Philippians 2:1-30

“If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”  John 12:26

“Jesus replied, ‘The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.’”  Mark 12: 29-31


We are here with a purpose.
We all have gifts.

Our gifts are not for us.
They are to serve others.

Serving His people is what we were created to do.  Loving on the lonely... reaching out to the hurting... serving those that are seeking Christ.  

The road to our God potential leads us through the valley of selflessness... putting others first... sacrificing so that people we may not even know can come face-to-face with a Savior who sacrificed everything on their behalf.

And we get to do that.

We get to be servants.

Notice what I said there… we GET to be servants.  God allows us to care for His people.  Those you encounter today are no accident.  Even the challenging ones…  Every single person you meet today is intentional.

Serve them.  Not with selfish motives…. but with a heart filled with Christ’s love.

I can hear you saying to your computer… but Pastor… who’s loving me?  Who’s taking care of me?  If I don’t look out for myself nobody will!   I hear you.  But I also know that even when the world seems to turn its back on you, Christ doesn’t.   HE will take care of you.  HE will provide for your needs.  HE will never let you break under the strain or buckle under the weight.  HE is always there always.  Even when you don’t feel Him, sense Him, or believe He’s there.  He IS there.  He is determined to provide for and love on you.  It’s His heart.  It is why He came to begin with.  Let Him take care of you while you take care of those He has put in your path.

If you are a Christ-follower… it’s part of your calling.

Resist the urge to dismiss today’s devotional as wishful thinking.  It wasn’t written for someone else.  It’s for you.  And it’s for me.  Remember, putting ourselves behind others and serving them may be perceived by the world as weakness… but it is a strength in the eyes of Jesus.  And He’s the only one that matters.