To Serve is to Know

Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 3:13 NIV

Notice Paul says,"Those who have served well", not, "led well." Knowing Christ is serving Christ. Quite often I get caught up in the notion that serving Christ is separate from knowing Christ. It's not that I consciously think that way, but naturally I tend to want to serve to prove myself worthy. 

I think truly serving teaches you that it's all of grace. Being a part of God's work in people's lives is humbling because you realize that you can't really change anyone, you can only love people. You also see that God does things in his own time. Serving also forces you to look outside yourself and see things from God's perspective. Seeing the Spirit work in yourself and others gives you that assurance that God loves you as is always working Sovereignly in your life. 

Being known as a someone who serves others is to have "an excellent standing" in your faith. This is opposite of the world where leaders are served by their employees. But, in the kingdom of God, the leader, like Christ, serves.

If I'm know for anything, I hope it's that I serve others and know Jesus. 

FAITH IS NOT GETTING WHAT I WANT...

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

The Apostle Paul said that he was, "an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope" (I Timothy 1:1). And in Colossians 1:5 he reminds us that faith and love spring from the hope that is stored for us in heaven. 

Jesus is our hope. We can be sure that that our hope in him is real and certain that he will do what he set out to do and that is save us from sin and make us God's children. 

Faith is not getting what I want but knowing that God will provide what I need. God has me where he wants me. God is doing what he wants to do in my life. I may not see where he is taking me, but I trust that it will be where I need to be. 

Father, thank you that in your Sovereignty, grace and mercy, you reign in my life. Praise be to you in us today!

COME ON IN

"Let us draw near to to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:22

I think it was Popeye that said, "I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam". The point? To God you are you are and that's all you are. No fooling God. No need to try to be what you are not. That is why Jesus died for our sins. 

Sincerity is truth without pretense. I not sure what is worse, to try to get right before you seek God, or, to think you are right when you are not when you go before God. Probably the later because then you don't think you need his forgiveness. We ALL need his forgiveness because all have sinned and fallen short of his glory. 

The good news is that drawing near him knowing that you need his forgiveness is what you are supposed to do. There are no required words, no set formulas to be draw near to God except to do so sincerely, truthfully. In Christ God says, "Come on in." 

"God, I am what I am and here I am. And I come to receive grace  and mercy." Praise be to you in us today!