It is my prayer that every Christian recognizes the importance of serving God through the way we serve others.  There are few things, if any, that are as emotionally exhilarating, and draining, as the task of serving others.  Having worked in a variety of ministry settings, including various roles within Christian camp ministry, I understand the excitement that often comes with the beginning of a new ministry or ministry season.  I also understand the weariness than can develop when our focus begins to drift away from the ministry of serving and onto ourselves.

This is day five in the first week of devotions from the book, “Serving God: Devotions for Active Worship”.  This devotional book is laid out in thirteen weeks of daily devotions with each week wrapped around an aspect of how we can serve others.  Each of these devotions are designed to help a person spend time with God to see how serving others is an act of worship.

Serving God:
Serve By Visiting

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’“
Matthew 25:37-40 (NIV)

Who do you like to spend time with?  Why?  Are there people that you tend to avoid?  Why?  If you were to evaluate the time you spend with people, how much of that time is about benefitting you?  How much is for mutual benefit?  How much is primarily to benefit others?  Are there people you have noticed this week that you could serve simply by spending time with them?  Would your attitude about spending time with them change if you viewed that time as being time spent with Jesus Himself?

Most of us know people that have a hard time fitting in.  Some of us are those people.  In a group setting we often leave those who don’t fit in alone, rather than take the time to go sit with them and get permission to enter their world for a moment.  When God calls us to visit the lonely and the outcast, sometimes they are much nearer to us than we even think about.  As you pray, ask God to help you see the people around you that you can serve simply by spending time with them listening and giving value to them as a person.  Pray that you would notice the stranger, the needy, the sick, and the imprisoned and visit them as if you are visiting Christ.

In prayer,

Tom

It is my prayer that every Christian recognizes the importance of serving God through the way we serve others.  There are few things, if any, that are as emotionally exhilarating, and draining, as the task of serving others.  Having worked in a variety of ministry settings, including various roles within Christian camp ministry, I understand the excitement that often comes with the beginning of a new ministry or ministry season.  I also understand the weariness than can develop when our focus begins to drift away from the ministry of serving and onto ourselves.

This is day four in the first week of devotions from the book, “Serving God: Devotions for Active Worship”.  This devotional book is laid out in thirteen weeks of daily devotions with each week wrapped around an aspect of how we can serve others.  Each of these devotions are designed to help a person spend time with God to see how serving others is an act of worship.

Serving God:
Serve By Rebuking and Repenting

“If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.  If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.“
Luke 17:3-4 (NIV)

Have you ever been wrong?  How does it feel when someone points out an area of incorrect belief or action in your life?  Why?  How can rebuking someone be seen as serving them?  Are there ways to rebuke, or be rebuked, that would not be serving?  What should the goal of pointing out the faults of another be?  What should your response be when your faults are revealed?  Is repentance more than being sorry?  What do you think repentance should look like when you need to repent?  When others need to repent?

We all know of times when rebuking, or pointing out the sin of another, did not lead to good results.  There are times when those closest to us think they are doing us a favor by not mentioning sin that has become obvious in our life.  If we want to serve others in a way that benefits them, we must learn the godly versions of both rebuking and repenting.  God’s desire in rebuking is that it would lead to repentance — a change of mind that aligns our direction with His.  As you pray, ask God to fill you with His love to direct the rebuking and repentance that you need to do.  Pray for the wisdom and grace to rebuke others in love and to repent when you are rebuked. 

In prayer,

Tom

It is my prayer that every Christian recognizes the importance of serving God through the way we serve others.  There are few things, if any, that are as emotionally exhilarating, and draining, as the task of serving others.  Having worked in a variety of ministry settings, including various roles within Christian camp ministry, I understand the excitement that often comes with the beginning of a new ministry or ministry season.  I also understand the weariness than can develop when our focus begins to drift away from the ministry of serving and onto ourselves.

This is day three in the first week of devotions from the book, “Serving God: Devotions for Active Worship”.  This devotional book is laid out in thirteen weeks of daily devotions with each week wrapped around an aspect of how we can serve others.  Each of these devotions are designed to help a person spend time with God to see how serving others is an act of worship.

Serving God:
Serve By Equipping

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

What makes you able to do the things you are good at?  Who invested their time and knowledge into equipping you to do the works of service your job calls for?  Do you think it would have been faster or easier for them to do things themselves rather than training you?  Why?  Why is it important to involve God’s Word in making sure you, and others, are thoroughly equipped?  How will you use God’s Word this week in helping to equip the people around you?

It is usually easier to do the things I know how to do myself than to make the effort to equip someone else.  Unfortunately, if I maintain such a short-sighted view there may be no one to do my current tasks when I am no longer able to do so.  As Paul writes to Timothy, he advises him to use Scripture in a variety of ways in order to equip the person of God to accomplish every good work that is needed.  As you pray, ask God to give you the wisdom and patience to be involved in equipping others to join you in the works of service that you are called to.  Pray that you would be a student of God’s Word so that you would be equipped, and be able to equip others, for every good work.

In prayer,

Tom

It is my prayer that every Christian recognizes the importance of serving God through the way we serve others.  There are few things, if any, that are as emotionally exhilarating, and draining, as the task of serving others.  Having worked in a variety of ministry settings, including various roles within Christian camp ministry, I understand the excitement that often comes with the beginning of a new ministry or ministry season.  I also understand the weariness than can develop when our focus begins to drift away from the ministry of serving and onto ourselves.

This is day two in the first week of devotions from the book, “Serving God: Devotions for Active Worship”.  This devotional book is laid out in thirteen weeks of daily devotions with each week wrapped around an aspect of how we can serve others.  Each of these devotions are designed to help a person spend time with God to see how serving others is an act of worship.

Serving God:
Serve By Sharing

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
Romans 12:12-13 (NIV)

What do the people around you need?  What resources have you been given?  How will sharing what you have benefit the people around you?  Why are some things often more difficult to share than others?  Are there things that you have held onto that God would want you to share this week?

God gives each of us a variety of gifts in both resources and abilities with the expectation that we will share for the benefit of others.  My first writing assignment from God was a poem.  Partly because it came out of my prayer time, I realized rather quickly that it didn’t have its origins in my wisdom.  As I shared it, the poems kept coming and as I compiled the collected poems into a book to share with people, God began to give me other writing assignments as well.  I believe there are times we don’t seem to receive from God because we have not yet shared what He has already given. 

As you pray, ask God to fill you with a desire to share.  Pray that you would understand and practice your responsibility to share with those in need.  Pray for wisdom to know how to do that well.

In prayer,

Tom