Tag Archives: Serve

Little Things

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Life is not always about the big things. Sometimes, it’s about the little things. Now, little does not mean unimportant. It just means, little.

Little things, done well, done for Jesus, sometimes can be the greatest thing that we can do. Sometimes, yes sometimes, God calls us to amazing, big, gigantic things. Yes, that happens. And when it happens, we should celebrate. We should take courage. We should be brave, be bold, and do it with great joy.

Sometimes though the things that God calls us to aren’t big. Sometimes they are little. Or at least to us, they appear to be little.

Listen to what Matthew 10:40-42 says:

“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

Scripture tells us this. Nothing done in His name is little. Nothing done for His glory is little. Nothing done to further the Kingdom of God is little. All things, big or small, when done in His name and for His purpose are grand and glorious things. All things, big or small, when done for Him, are huge!

Today, God may be calling you to something big. If so, then do it. God gives us great dreams sometimes.

But today, God may be calling you to give a smile. A hug. A warm word. Just to be nice. Something we might not think of as “big.” But if these small things, this little things, are done for Him and His name, they are huge.

Today, in all things, big or little. May be faithful. And today, in all things, big or little, may God be glorified.

Today, in Jesus, and through Jesus, there are no little things. Today, through Him, may all things be for His glory. Today, through Him, may everything we do show His grace, His mercy, and His love.

Some Important Things to Remember

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It’s good to be reminded of things sometimes. I always joke with folks at church, if I don’t set a reminder in my phone for things that I’m supposed to do, then things won’t get it done.

And even those of us with exceptional memories can at times forget things; forget things we are supposed to do; forget what is on our agenda; forget all kinds of stuff.

Today, this passage from Revelation is a good baseline reminder of some important things that we, and the church, need to be reminded of.  Listen to what John writes in Revelation 1:4-6:

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

First, He loves us. The text describes all that Jesus is, and it say this – “to Him who love us . . . ” Today, no matter where you are, what you have done, are doing, or will do, Jesus loves you. Today, no matter what has happened in your life, Jesus loves you.

Today, in this moment, you are loved. You are loved by an amazing, powerful, awesome God. You are loved. Don’t forget that. You are loved.

Second, not only does Jesus love us, but He also “frees from our sin by His blood.” Today, through what He did for us upon the cross, you are forgiven. You are forgiven of your sin, you are free to walk in grace, you are free to lay it all down.

Today, through what Jesus Christ did for you, you are forgiven. Don’t beat yourself up. You can let it go. Jesus has paid the price for you and you are forgiven. You can let go and let God have it!

And last, you were created for something bigger than you can ever imagine. It says “and has made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father . . . ” You were made for a grand and glorious purpose. You were created for something special and amazing. You were born for some great thing that only you can do.

You are talented. You are made in His image. You can do it. God has made you for something amazing. Live into that today!

Today, these are some important reminders. May we never, in our lives, forget what truly matters!

Getting Ready – Go Podcast

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The sermon podcast for Sunday, December 11, 2011 is up on Asbury Church’s website.  This is the third sermon in our Advent 2011 worship series “Getting Ready.”  In this sermon we talk about how we have these mountains in our lives. And the reason we have these mountains is so that we we can go. And tell the story of God’s victory from these mountains.  The text for this sermon is Genesis 12:1-3.  Also by clicking on these verses you can see my notes from the sermon as a note in the YouVersion online Bible.   You can listen to it by clicking here, or you can listen to it here on this blog by clicking the link below. And, as always, you can subscribe to my sermon podcasts through iTunes.

CLICK HERE

Getting Ready – Go. And Tell

How to be Somebody

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One of the things we see Jesus tell His disciples is this – they are called to be different.

They (we) must be different from the world they (we) live in.  There must be something about us that is different from the world.  While we live in the world and want to show the love of Christ to the world, we must be, well, different.

In today’s passage in Matthew 20,  John and James’ mother comes to Jesus and asks Him to let one brother be on His right hand and the other on His left.

Jesus says that’s not for Him to give, only the Father. But then, He says this:

But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Jesus tells us, yes in the world, there is a certain way leaders behave. There is a certain way to gain power.

There is a certain way to be important or to have a status.

Not so among you.  That’s not how we operate. That’s not what the Body of Christ is about.

Yes, in the world, fame and money and power and status, these things reflect on who is important.

Not so among you.

You want to be great for God? Serve. Love. Care. Forgive.

Jesus said even He came not to be served, but to serve.

If we want to be “somebody” you want to know how?

Serve.

Serve as God served. Today, help someone.

Give a smile. A help.  A hug.  A world. A piece of yourself.

If we want to be someone for God, today we can do it. Today, we can be different. Today, we can make an impact.

How?

Serve. Show the love of God. Love as God loves you.  You are vital to Him.

So is everyone we meet.

Today, may we love each other. As God loves us.

Just Do It – Serve Podcast

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The sermon podcast for Sunday, October 17 is up on Asbury Church’s website.  This is one of the sermons my series “Just Do It.,” and it’s about “Serve”  The text is Matthew 25: 31-46.

You can listen to it by clicking here, or you can listen to it here on this blog by clicking below. And, as always, you can subscribe to my sermon podcasts through iTunes.

Choices

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Today is a day of choices.  What will eat for breakfast? Will I drink two pots of coffee, or just one?  Will I wake up my children while sleeping to annoy Holly, or not?  (I will not)

What will I choose to do?  How will I choose to live?

Who will I choose to serve?

The book of Joshua ends with this scene of choices.  Will the people choose to serve God, or will the choose to serve false idols. What will they do?

Joshua had already given them a choice and said that he and his family would serve the Lord, no matter what the others will do.

And then he laid it for people – choose. What will you do.  The people responded in Joshua 27:

21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the LORD!” 22 Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.”

Joshua says, if you are going to choose to serve God, you must do two things.

First put aways those false gods.  Put away those things that draw you away from God.  Put away those things that keep you from serving and following.  Put them away.

If I want to follow God, I mean, really follow God, then I need to put away things that keep from following.

Today, what in your life keeps you from following?  What is it in your life that keeps you from following God as you should?

And the second thing is incline your heart to God.  Spend time with God, listen to  His voice through prayer and scripture. Seek Him.  Walk with Him.

What will we choose today?  How will we choose to live? What will we choose today?  Will we choose to follow?  Or will we not? The choice in our hands.