Category Archives: Serving
On Call
John 1:29 “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (NRSV).
Please read John 1:29-34 (NRSV). John the Baptist says, “He that sent me told me what to look out for” [paraphrased] and this is the first thing that jumps out at us. Meaning that John the Baptist was not just some eccentric man who went about baptizing people with water. Read the rest of this entry
True Focus
John 1:26-27 “John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” (NRSV, emphasis added)
John in reference to Jesus said, “I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” What did he mean? At that time, what is called the “Rabbinic Movement” was very strong. The Rabbis are the teachers and each Rabbi will have students. Read the rest of this entry
The Witness
John 1:6-7 “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.” (NRSV, emphasis added)
The story is told about a young man who told his Pastor that he had consecrated his life to Jesus. The Pastor looked at him intently and said, “We are going for evangelism tomorrow and we will need your car tomorrow morning.” Read the rest of this entry
Adjust
Psalm 96:7-9 “O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendour. Let all the earth tremble before him.”
Do you know that the average American CEO reads at least sixty books in one year? When I came across this statistic, I was shocked. How many books do you read in a year? You and I must be deliberate about reading and growing. Read the rest of this entry
In His Service
Eph. 4:16 “He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”
Yesterday, we learnt that we can show gratitude to God by singing from our hearts and by telling others the good news. The third way we can show gratitude to God is to thank God by Serving Him With The Abilities He Has Given Us. Read the rest of this entry
All Aboard!
Gal. 5:22-23 “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (emphasis added).
Note that Paul says, “fruit” singular which is different from “fruits” plural. When we looked at the gifts of the Holy Spirit, it was “gifts” plural [Word of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom, Prophesy, and so on]. But when Paul talks about the fruit of the Holy Spirit, it is “fruit” singular. Read the rest of this entry
Taste Test
Ps. 119:103 “How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.”
When people encounter you, what taste does it leave in their mouths? Bitter, sweet, or bland? God wants people to encounter us as His children and have an unforgettably sweet taste, a sweetness that they cannot shake off. Remember our illustration from yesterday’s devotional? Read the rest of this entry
Relational Ideal II
Rom.12 4-5 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”
Everyone is born dependent, but God does not intend for us to remain that
way. He wants us to move from dependence, to independence, and to interdependence. Read the rest of this entry
Principles III
Rom.12: 4-5 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”
We are all connected by the Blood of Christ and by the values that we share. Two days ago, we began to look at values because the benefit of values is the reward of a principled life. Read the rest of this entry
