The thought has gone through my head since last Wednesday night, "what do I do?" What is that one thing God wants me to devote myself to? What am I programmed to do for Him? So having felt like that as I entered church Sunday morning we were confronted with this message: Living to the Fullest Degree.
We completed our Wednesday night Truth Project series but tomorrow night we are going to continue by again asking ourselves what we can do.
In the sermon Sunday morning Pastor Paul basically stated we all have a quest for greatness. Where does it come from? God puts it in us. How we choose to achieve this greatness is up to us. We can desire greatness to pat ourselves on our own backs or we can desire to do it to please the One who gave it to us.
So just how do we gain this greatness? We serve. Hmmmm, I think I mentioned that before....Jesus came to serve not to be served and if this is how He lived His life it should be ours too. "Serving is the way to live to the fullest degree," Pastor Paul shared with us. "If you wish to become, you must serve."
We completed our Wednesday night Truth Project series but tomorrow night we are going to continue by again asking ourselves what we can do.
In the sermon Sunday morning Pastor Paul basically stated we all have a quest for greatness. Where does it come from? God puts it in us. How we choose to achieve this greatness is up to us. We can desire greatness to pat ourselves on our own backs or we can desire to do it to please the One who gave it to us.
So just how do we gain this greatness? We serve. Hmmmm, I think I mentioned that before....Jesus came to serve not to be served and if this is how He lived His life it should be ours too. "Serving is the way to live to the fullest degree," Pastor Paul shared with us. "If you wish to become, you must serve."
Proverbs 11:24 - There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. We have to give in order to receive. The more we give the more we receive. If we hold back what talent God has given us we cannot receive what He wants to give us...joy, the feeling of satisfaction, great rewards in heaven, those eternal rewards.
However, we must serve out of love for God, not for self. He will reward generously when we do and only He knows the motives in our hearts. Romans 14:10 tells us we will each give an account of himself to God.
So all through service I asked over and over "what is the one thing, God, that I'm good at?" How can I serve? I've served in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Russia on mission trips. You can't help being blessed serving others even if seems a small thing. I remember someone telling us that God would bless our socks off. And He did. I can remember coming home and not being able to get my head around life back home...unfortunately it doesn't last...unless you continue to serve in some manner.
That type of compassion that rises up can only come from the Lord. It happens in me so easily. That's the heart of Christ He wants us all to have, all the time. We don't need to go too far to find similar people in our own world. Those around us with their own troubles... How I would love to wrap my arms around one person this week to tell them how much Jesus cares for their hurting heart. The doors need to be opened.
On the outside this is not my character. You would not guess I feel like this. So has my question been answered? Not entirely. I know God has programmed me with something. I just need to tap into that. I don't know that it will be another mission trip out of the country.
However, we must serve out of love for God, not for self. He will reward generously when we do and only He knows the motives in our hearts. Romans 14:10 tells us we will each give an account of himself to God.
So all through service I asked over and over "what is the one thing, God, that I'm good at?" How can I serve? I've served in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Russia on mission trips. You can't help being blessed serving others even if seems a small thing. I remember someone telling us that God would bless our socks off. And He did. I can remember coming home and not being able to get my head around life back home...unfortunately it doesn't last...unless you continue to serve in some manner.
I recall the faces of the Guatemalan and Nicaraguan children when they received little gifts ... and the faces of the congregation in Nicaragua when we put up the bulk of a church they so badly needed and the pastor's gratitude at the school we constructed in Guatemala. I especially remember the little girl who did not leave my side as we walked through "the dump" in Guatemala where the homeless families live and root through trash to make a very meager living. I wanted to take her home... I recall the sober faces of the Russian church ladies we ministered to one night. They truly do not offer much in the way of emotion. But that evening they wept when we went around the room and hugged each one of them.
That type of compassion that rises up can only come from the Lord. It happens in me so easily. That's the heart of Christ He wants us all to have, all the time. We don't need to go too far to find similar people in our own world. Those around us with their own troubles... How I would love to wrap my arms around one person this week to tell them how much Jesus cares for their hurting heart. The doors need to be opened.
On the outside this is not my character. You would not guess I feel like this. So has my question been answered? Not entirely. I know God has programmed me with something. I just need to tap into that. I don't know that it will be another mission trip out of the country.
God does knows my heart. When I've been faced with other questions I truly needed answers to, He showed me answers or opened doors. I believe I will be stepping out in faith and realizing my need to trust God in what He wants me to do. Where will I start?
What I do know is when I do this, I will be "living to the fullest degree." I certainly don't think this always means great "greatness." It can be simple greatness. It may be simple to us but if we have done it, it is great greatness to God because we have done it.
Ephesians 2:10 - For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10 - For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
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