The Heart of a Servant

“For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

A few years ago, I was flipping through a local newspaper and I came to an obituary of a woman that I didn’t know. I glanced at her picture and I noticed that it appeared much larger than the others. It gave me the impression that this person was special – somebody who was to stand out – even in death. Her name was Theresa. Her smile was warm and inviting. Her eyes had a tenderness about them and they had the ability to draw me in.

Theresa died from a brain tumor. While she was battling through, the article stated that she continually served the body of Christ without complaint. She taught classes to the children even though she was childless. She took people, even strangers, to doctor’s appointments and gave them rides to get their groceries. The obituary said she cooked food and delivered the meals to those who had none. And, as sick as she was, she still managed to drive her husband and father to their own chemotherapy appointments. Like Theresa, they were battling cancer too. Needless to say, after reading that last part, I was a mess. I was sobbing so much that I needed to call my husband and tell him about this amazing and godly servant who had such a special heart for the Lord.

Theresa was to me the epitome of a tireless worker for the Lord Jesus Christ. Even in her death, she was still giving. She gave me something that day too. Theresa had unknowingly opened my eyes and my heart up to the direction of serving. Her life, written out in black and white, had the power to convict me. It showed me that I needed to do more for the Lord – love others unconditionally and to step out and serve without ever counting the cost.

Although I don’t know this for sure, I would say that most likely, Theresa served the Lord God up until the moment she took her last breath. As Christians, we should want to serve our Lord and Savior with greatness like she did. I know I do. If I could write to Theresa today, I would say:

Dear Theresa,

Thank you from the bottom of my heart; you are a precious woman of God. You have shown me a beautiful and powerful example of what it means to love the Lord with all of your heart and soul. You served with everything you had and you did it all for the glory of God!

The 24th

“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; or the Lord will see it and be displeased, and turn His anger away from him.” Proverbs 24:17-18

This is easy for me for some reason. Thank the Lord! I’m not happy when my enemies are hurt or stumble. I can’t help but still feel compassion for them even if they deserve it.

I heard a story from someone who was cut off and the person got pulled over down the road. That victim drove by slow and smiled. They rubbed it in. I get that, but I don’t have the desire to grovel for some reason. I would still feel bad.

Don’t get me wrong, I get angry at people who cut me off, but I know I have the capability to cut others off. I know I’m capable of the similar things.

Anyways, the Lord doesn’t want us to rejoice when our enemies pay the price. He doesn’t want us to have that attitude at all. It’s not in keeping with the truth. After all, we know we won’t get all we deserve either. It’s the nature of the Lord to forgive and train people in righteousness rather than be angry with them and make them pay the piper.

There is one more thing we should take note of here. The Lord will turn His anger away from this enemy. It’s righteous anger when God comes down on the wicked. It’s deserved, but know this: The Lord does not mean that He wants to finalize His punishment and we messed it up by groveling. It means that His anger will turn toward you instead. Your judgmental attitude will cause God’s righteous scrutiny to turn toward you who should know the truth that we all tend toward evil and do similar things to others.

You know what I just remembered? I think I did this, “Ha ha,” thing as a grade school kid and got the same punishment as my “enemy.” A teacher got me to understand this early by doing what the Lord says He will do here. Huh? I knew there was a specific reason! We learn the hard way more often than not. However, the Word of God is telling us not to learn the hard way.

The 17th

“The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests hearts.” Proverbs 17:3

The Lord is pictured in Revelation with eyes like a flame of fire because He can see into hearts. He knows motives. He knows what’s in you and me more than we do. I didn’t believe this before, but I do now. I even know that I’m still blind to certain wicked tendencies God has to bring to the surface. The verse above shows us that He does this very thing.

Life with Christ is not always smooth sailing. God tests us to bring dross to the surface. Dross is ugly. The most classic example is Peter and His impending denial of Christ, which He was in denial over. It can get quite messy. It’s very ugly at times, but we need to persevere and be strong in God’s grace rather than the ability of our flesh. In a mysterious way it’s God we must allow to do this in us, and He does so through testing.

We tend to hide these tests at church, but God sees what all goes on. I, myself, know I have a lot of dross. God is bringing it to the surface of my heart so He can skim it off. I know many love to concentrate on the fact that we’re perfect in the Father’s eyes because of Christ, but this process still mysteriously goes on. God is in the business of testing hearts.

You and I cannot earn favor with God. He loves us already because that’s His nature. His heart is pure and He is a help to the helpless. The Lord is making us like Him for the sake of the other helpless ones. He made us a new creation that cannot sin, but we’re stuck in time for now for their sake and our reward. We can only learn to love Him and them by faith because He first loved us.

Anyhow, Satan tempts us in the same trials God tests us in. The Holy Spirit led Jesus in the wilderness to test Him, but Satan was there to tempt. James says the Lord does not tempt with sin. It’s not His nature to lure believers away using evil. He cannot sin, and neither can we in Him. It doesn’t make sense for Him to lure your flesh away. He mortified it.

However, God will let times get tough to see if you run toward these things instead. If you always run toward a bottle or backbiting or wrath then you have dross you need to let Him skim off. You’re not walking in newness of life and you need a mind renewal.

If you don’t allow God to search you and try you, then when you get into bigger situations like the Lord Jesus Christ in the desert, you will fail. You won’t be ready. You and I think we’re ready. We wanna believe we would do the right thing like Peter, but our untested heart would prevail in tripping us up. Our fleshly walk would fool us.

Be strong in God’s grace and put off the flesh. Live in your new man with his new heart from God. Forgive yourself, and let God wash you. Every day is new for us in His kingdom. You are not perfected by what you can perform through the flesh; you are perfected in your submission to His will and what you allow Him to carry you through.

He Cares for You

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Worry cripples.

Worry has set me up and taken me down and out – more than once. I have drawn the short stick when it comes to the area of worrying. I have given in to fears and anxiety. I have allowed it to rent premium space in my head – for free. I spent a month once stuck deep in total hypochondria, believing that I had multiple forms of cancer, until Jesus came and rescued me.

The Bible speaks a lot on worry, fear and anxiety.  Luke 21:14 says, “But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.” I have a choice not to worry! Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” I have to turn it over to God because He’ll keep me from falling apart.

I believe you can turn useless worry into something of worth – just by entering into a state of thankfulness. Instead of caving in to worry, start thanking God. Tweak you’re prayers.  Make them count and get out of victim mode. We’re not victims; we are victors in Christ!

If you’re worrying about your kids, thank the Lord that His mighty hands are on them and His angels are protecting them.  If you’re waiting on a diagnosis, thank Him that He’s got it covered and that He’s bigger than any report. God knows what we need.  So step out in faith!  Don’t just dip your toes; submerge yourself.  God keeps us afloat.

Slow to Anger

“A hot tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.” Proverbs 15:18

I miss my Dad.

This August, it’ll be 13 years since he’s gone home to be with the Lord. One of the things I loved about him was his wisdom. My father was wise and clever at giving me advice.  He knew me well.  He also knew that I may over react at what he was saying, so he’d deliver his point gently.  He’d say stuff like, “You know, when you have children someday, you’ll need a thousand eyes and most of them should be behind your head”.  If my dad were here today, I’d answer, “That’s good dad, but I need to do one more thing, put Jesus first.”

I still hear my father’s voice telling me to “do the right thing and don’t get angry.”  I remember a story he shared with me about a friend who got divorced.  He said, “The judge ordered him to split everything in half-right down the middle. So he went home and buzz sawed the bed, the couch, the sofa, and the kitchen table-and chairs-in half.   He cut just about everything they had, in two.”

“Wow,” I thought, “That’s a whole lot of anger and a whole lot of mess.”

As Christians, we are called to leave anger at the feet of Jesus.  Anger kills. It divides husbands and wives, children and parents.  Anger breaks up families. James 1:19 – 20 says, “Know this my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

I don’t know about you, but that convicts to me.

Praise vs Complaint

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 11:33

Many years ago I read something that went like this, “I used to complain about my shoes until I met a man that had no feet.” That moved me then, and it still moves me today.

Over the years I’ve tried to work hard on my complaining.  Complaining should make me uncomfortable.  I pray that I never sit comfortably in my complaint. You should too. After all, we are Christians; we have Jesus. The Bible tells us that we are more than conquerors! So, I think it makes sense for us to run away from the gripping and murmuring that does absolutely no good for us, both spiritually and physically.  I want God’s best for me, don’t you?

Philippians 2:14 says, “Do all things without murmuring and disputing.” Ugh…check heart, check heart, check heart.

I am convinced that for every complaint there is, there’s a sure fire way out.  And it’s praise! When you lose your job, praise God for the one that’s coming.  When you feel heavy and overweight, praise God that you’re not down to 68 pounds from battling cancer.  When your child’s cry goes right up your shorts, praise God that they have a voice in which to speak and that you can hear it.  When the roof leaks, praise God that you have one over your head that can be fixed.   When you burn the dinner, praise God that there’s more food in the fridge and that you didn’t set the house on fire. And when you’re rubbed the wrong way-by your mother, father, sister or brother-praise God that they’re still in your life to bug you-because one day they won’t be. You and I, have the ability to turn any complaint into praise! That is freedom!

Psalm 100:4 says “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him.” The heart of God moves on thankfulness and praise.  Doesn’t that make you want to start right now?

Being Fit

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:30

For each pound of fat our bodies have, we burn around 9 calories per hour. For each pound of muscle we have, we burn around 30. Muscle obviously burns more calories than fat.  I want muscle.  Psalm 139:14, tells us that “we are fearfully and wonderfully made.” The human body is truly amazing and the more muscle we put on, the stronger we become – at any age! It does require effort from us and a commitment to keep going.   You and I get out of life what we put into it.  It’s the same with our other muscle – our spiritual one. It requires effort and commitment.  It’s simple math. Doing little, gets us little.  Doing more, gives us a bigger return.

I always need to check my heart and remember the “not so good stuff” that got me to the “not so good places.”  I need accountability for myself, but more importantly, to God.  We all do.  Lately, it seems like God keeps ripping off the Band-Aids on my sore spots – areas of struggle or disobedience.  I believe it’s His way of making me cry out to Him and keeping me on my knees before Him.  That’s painful. When God cuts in, it hurts. Ugh. But that’s okay. He’s in control and He’s still in the business of healing.

It’s obvious what I need to do to become fit physically – I need to eat right and move my body. For the spiritual,  I need to read and to keep applying the Word of God (practical application).  I need to keep developing a more meaningful and consistent prayer life (checking the real motive behind my asking). I need to keep myself under good leadership (at a Bible teaching church). I need to show up for things going on at church (no excuses).  I need to love others like Christ does and serve anywhere I can – even if costs something (it cost Jesus).

Oh…and don’t quit. Because God never quit.

The 9th

The fear of the Lord is the start of wisdom. Reverence to how the Lord’s works is where wisdom begins. The Lord gives instruction. It’s all actually laid out and prepared for the whole world already. There’s nothing new under the sun. Wisdom has built her house and her feast has been prepared already.

If you cannot humble yourself and follow instruction, you cannot learn of this wisdom. If you won’t admit that you don’t know-it-all then you are headed towards becoming a scoffer. I mean, you know it in your conscience by God’s design, but it didn’t originate with you. That has to be clear for you to continue on the right path. You aren’t going to discover new wisdom. It’s already been prepared.

Again, wisdom is skill in living like a tradesman has skill in his craft. There are certain steps to take, and things to learn in order to acquire wisdom. However, it all begins with the fear of the Lord. He can train you in the ways of wisdom. He prepared them already!

Scoffers think it originates with them. We all naturally tend toward this attitude. Take your child to work and teach him how you do what you do and immediately he will try and push you out of the way. He will tell you he knows already. Some will even show you how to do your job more effectively, all before they hear one lick of instruction. Welcome to life 101. This know-it-all attitude is in most of us and needs to be put in its place. This is the breeding ground for scoffing, but listening and applying instruction comes from fearing the Lord.

The Lord Himself will not come down and instruct you, but He mysteriously does so through our fathers and teachers. Those who are humble will hear His voice; those who know-it-all, simply won’t.

I would read all of Proverbs 9 and this will stick out to you, but I wanted to touch on this one verse first: “If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, and if you scoff, you alone will bear it.” Proverbs 9:12

This verse ties in with the context above. It’s quite ironic. You’ll understand, if you can receive instruction from someone like me. The scoffer will pick apart what I write, or he’ll simply stop reading, but the one who fears the Lord will understand this didn’t come from me. It originated with the Lord.

I didn’t figure this out, it was revealed to me through humility. By the way, I’ve been kicking and screaming during the whole process. It took years for this to dawn on me, and I learned the hard way. I’m more of a scoffer, but the Lord’s grace is stronger than me! The scoffer out there who will humble himself will receive wisdom from me, yet it’s not from me. It all originates in the fear of the Lord. He prepared it already.

Scoffers are selfish and bratty in reality. They are spoiled brats. However, it’s ironic that they are so selfish yet they won’t do the most selfish thing of all. They won’t acquire wisdom the way the Bible lays out. It brings life, and it helps the person who finds it. That’s the context of the verse. That’s the irony. If you are wise, you are only helping yourself, but if you scoff, you alone will bear the fruit of that. Scoffers are the most selfish people on the planet, yet they won’t do the one thing that will truly help them. They won’t do it because it starts with the fear of the Lord. It starts with humility, and scoffers don’t want anything to do with that. Repent scoffers! I did. I still do!

Running the Race

“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24

None of these things move me

“None of these things move me” is a concept I like to think about when the sun is shining, my to-do list is complete,  kids are napping, and I’ve completed my exercise for the day.  At that moment, when I am removed from hardship, I feel like any amount of spiritual warfare can come hurling my way and none of it will move me… However today, I did my morning run in the rain after getting about 4 hours of actual sleep; it’s 55 degrees and cloudy out (in June!!!); my kids are antsy, and my refrigerator is void of anything even remotely tasty – any one of these things could move me! I find myself asking why these eternally insignificant circumstances have the ability to move me and dictate my overall disposition. Oh how I long to say, (in the midst of a less-than-ideal day) “None of these things move me!”

Nor do I count my life dear

The answer? I believe it is found in the next part of the verse, “nor do I count my life dear to myself.” Here is where I go wrong.  I often count the things in my life “dear to myself” – my time, my schedule, my appearance, my to-do list, my identity, etc. etc. When unforeseen circumstances affect my time or my schedule, (that I count so dear to myself) I am moved.  However, if I can surrender each of these things to the Lord, remembering that nothing can happen without His permission, (Lamentations 3:37) then when unforeseen circumstances arise (as they are sure to do) they will not move me.  I will simply walk down this new path that the Lord has laid before my feet.

Run your race with joy

God has given us each a race to run – a ministry to serve in.  In order to run and serve with joy, we cannot count our lives dear to ourselves.  If we do, we will most certainly be moved as the bends in the road appear, and circumstances dictate the direction we are moving. However, if we remember that we are running the race and serving where God has called us to be, none of these things will move us.  We will simply continue running our race, serving where we are.  Jesus said, “whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25)  When we count our lives dear to ourselves and fight to hold onto the things that make us happy and fulfilled, we end up being moved and losing our joy.  But, when we let go, surrender these things to the Lord and choose to not count our lives dear to ourselves, we are able to run our race with joy.  Isn’t that we all want in the end – to be full of joy?

What is the race that you are running today?  Are you a husband, wife, parent, friend, employee, mentor? Run your race with joy!  Do not count your life dear to yourself.  Serve in the ministry that God brings your way today.  Look at the unforeseen changes in your life as God directing your steps.  Do not let these things move you.

The 5th

You can learn wisdom from the testimony of others. You can listen to what they have come to understand. Remember, wisdom is skill in living. Understanding is learning what to give attention to. These can come from Bible stories, and testimonies. Ask God for wisdom and understanding and He will grant it to those who are ready. You can even be a sermon junkie or Bible scholar and learn these on paper, but be sure to put them into practice.

Proverbs 5 starts off by telling us that wisdom and understanding can be learned second hand. Solomon exhorted us in chapter four to acquire them ourselves, but in the chapter five he tells us to give attention and observe them from others also, specifically from a father to a son.

That’s very fitting because we can see the mistakes of our fathers the clearest. It’s in hindsight and we have similar tendencies. Their faults unfortunately stick out like sore thumbs. You’ll hate your dad in your teens and swear you’ll never be like him. You may have success in certain areas, but you’ll probably overcompensate with that attitude. Then you will grow older and realize he knew a little more than you thought. Then you will hit your late 30’s and you’ll see that he was the man! Skip all that, don’t get angry and judgmental, and learn from his mistakes and triumphs. We should look into the wisdom they learned and pick up things from their understanding. More often than not they learned from trial and error, but don’t forget to learn from the triumphs too.

Your father wants you to be wiser than him. Guess what? My dad taught me that U thing in the grain of the wood, after I screwed it up at my house of course. He taught me how to frame U down so the long hump has weight and screws forcing it down (which is opposite) but we never had to do deck boards before. He even surprisingly asked me when he saw what I did, “You didn’t know that?”

“My son, give attention to my wisdom, incline your ear to my understanding; that you may observe discretion and your lips may reserve knowledge.” Proverbs 5:1-2

This could have been lessons from David to Solomon that Solomon used when he framed Proverbs. Who knows? David fell into many traps with women and pride. It sounds like something he would tell Solomon after you read the rest. Solomon pulled a lot of wisdom and understanding from his father David’s downfalls, but it still didn’t fully help. Solomon still took after his dad with women and such. However, God’s grace was still strong for the both of them. What a good Father we serve!

You can gain wisdom from others rather than having to acquire it for yourself. Much wisdom comes from our heavenly Father through His Word. He even puts in stories of failure and triumph. We should observe the discretion that comes from these experiences. David may have been Solomon’s father, but if you don’t have a dad you can learn from David’s follies and triumph. God made it so David could be your dad.

In our life today, not everyone interprets their own experiences well, but God can still teach you when the person is absent of wisdom. If you know the Lord, you will pick up on lessons from everyone and anyone.

You could have been fatherless and still pick up on things from your own dad. One of my buddies doesn’t touch alcohol, and is fiercely loyal to his wife and mom. He loves, protects, and works hard for them. Mike learned these things by observing his alcoholic dad who left when he was young. He observed and reserved what he needed and then put his own goals into action.

Mike is an unbeliever and he was more wise and understanding than me in our youth. Go figure! God calls the weak to confound the wise because we all need Him as a Father. The fact remains, you can run off with these lessons without God and end up nowhere profitable in the end. Solomon even tried and learned for us all to have that hard lesson. No other good pursuit in this world is worth it unless you know God. We all need Jesus to train us in these things with the right motives. If you broke me and Mike down in our 20’s you would find evil motives in both of us, but I was on the right track by getting to know the only One who is good.