If the devil can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy. Have you heard that before? No margin no mission. What about that one? Most of the time, serving comes down to one word – DISRUPTION. Disruption of our routines, our schedules, our priorities. Day 13 of the Serving Challenge as we take a few steps with Jesus who teaches us that serving is about being available to Him and others.
Have you ever woken up on the wrong side of the bed and your entire day was ruined because of it? Have you ever been in a position where you wanted to serve someone else, but then talked yourself out of it? It turns out that our mindset and our attitudes have enormous power over our actions. Our attitude can either prevent or empower us for service. We need the mindset and attitude of Christ.
How do you measure true greatness? Fame? Wealth? Wins versus Losses? In His Kingdom, Jesus measures greatness not by status, but by service. Join us on Sunday as we introduce the Serving Challenge and the five attributes that lead us along the path toward the Greatest Servant of All Time.
What is one thing Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, and Tom Brady all have in common? They all had a coach. Think about that. The GOATs (greatest of all time) all needed someone else to help them. Who has and is God putting in your life to help coach you so that your gifts can grow?
Joy to the World! The Lord is Come! The story of Jesus' Birth from Luke 2:1-20
Most of the times when we GO, it means saying goodbye and acknowledging, "I won't see you again until..." Once our Christmas celebrations are over, we of our separate ways, and return to our normal routine. For many, it means returning to a life of isolation and loneliness. In the journey of life, Jesus does not promise, "I'll see you soon." Instead, He promises a real present, His real presence, "to the end of the age."
Since God has given us as a gift and wrapped our gifts in the needs of others, the natural conclusion is that we are to use our gifts together. Not to strut our stuff but to expand the Kingdom of God.
What is your favorite food to have around Christmas? What scent reminds you of Christmas? What if you could experience the Christmas feels more than just a few days of the year? The Lord Jesus does not intend for you to know His presence only during certain times of the year. He intends for you to know His presence and receive His forgiveness, "as often as you eat of this bread and drink of this cup."
What are your Myers-Briggs letters? What number enneagram are you? Are you a lion, otter, golden retriever, or beaver? With so many personality assessments out there, why are we so unsure of our gifts? Perhaps our problem is found in where we are looking. All personality assessments look internally. God invites us to discover our gifts not by looking at ourselves but by looking to the needs of others. That is, our gifts are often wrapped in the needs of others.
Jesus Christ gives in ways the world does not. The world offers peace for a moment, but Jesus gives the gift of peace that lasts for eternity. His peace is greater than your circumstances. His peace meets you in the here and now. His peace promises to never leave you nor forsake you.