Week 3 - Full Service

Joe is willing to volunteer with high schoolers, but don't ask him to help with middle school programs.

Ben is a musician. That's his thing. Nothing else.

This just isn't the right time for Blake to get involved. Maybe next year.

God has called us to serve. Are we giving Him our "full service" or are we more about "self service?"

Do we express a desire to give Him "full service" but limit it to "between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and not on weekends?" Or some other limit that sounds just as silly?

Moses wasn't a gifted speaker - in fact, he probably had some sort of speech impediment. He was certain he was the wrong guy for the job. God used him anyway.

Sarah laughed when God told her she was going to have a baby at 90 years of age. God wasn't joking! Even though she was too old and other women were of a more suitable age, God used her anyway.

Jonah was just plain willful. He had the guts to tell God no. Bad decision. God used him anyway.

God wants to use us.

He may even ask us to teach third grade boys when we don't think we relate well to young children. God can use us anyway.

He may ask us to lead a Bible study in spite of our fear of not knowing the Bible as well as we think we should. God can us us anyway.

He may ask us to be a part of the finance committee when we'd really rather be part of the worship committee. God can use us anyway.

It's a matter of deciding if we give God our "full service" or if we decide to be a "self service" person.

Are we willing to serve Him fully any time, any where? Or "only between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and not on weekends?"

This week, pray...

1. For a willingness to serve Him completely.
2. For forgiveness when you put limits on when, where and how you wills serve Him.
3. For opportunities to serve others.
4. That those who are serving Him and serving you will be blessed.
5. Thank Him for those who have unselfishly served Him in the past and thus impacted your life.

This week, read...

1. Jonah 1
2. Psalm 100:2
3. Genesis 17:15-22
4. Philippians 2:5-11
5. Ephesians 6:5-9

This week, listen to...

God Speaking by Mandisa
Serve the Lord by Carmen
God Leads Us Along by Travis Cottrell

This week's quote...

"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know; the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve." - Albert Schweitzer

Week 2 - Ministry of Works

Teaching children, singing in the choir, leading a Bible study, feeding the homeless, taking a meal to sick, giving money to the church, serving on the church board, working in the nursery. Are you keeping a list?

A popular bumper sticker reads, “Jesus is coming back – look busy!” Is that what you’re doing?

Do you sometimes wonder if your church would close the doors if you quit doing more than your share?

Do you sometimes think others just don’t appreciate all that you do for your church? Or that you just don’t get the recognition you deserve for all the good things you do? Be honest. Are you serving and leading because of Him or are you involved in your own little “ministry of works?”

It’s not that the good things we do bring us closer to Him, it’s that the bad things we do separate us from Him. That can include pride. The pride that is often visible when we make a list of all the good things we do. The pride that is often visible when we think we are doing more than our fair share.

We just have to get over the idea that it’s about us! It’s not. It’s about Christ. It’s about the cross. It’s about his perfect life that was sacrificed for our sinful one. No matter how many Bible studies we lead, or the amount of money we give, or the number of homeless we feed, we still need His grace. That’s our only hope.

This week, pray…

1. Thank Him for His grace.
2. Ask Him to forgive prideful works.
3. That you will serve Him with a new heart.
4. Ask Him for opportunities to show His grace to others – for His glory! – perhaps without the recipient even knowing.
5. Prayers of praise for Jesus, His sacrifice and forgiveness.

This week, read….

1. Romans 4
2. 2 Timothy 1:8-10
3. Galatians 3
4. Matthew 23:1-7
5. Hebrews 11:6

This week, listen to…

1. In Christ Alone by the Newsboys
2. How Deep the Fathers Love for Us by Skillet
3. Amazing Grace by Gospel Creek - The Bluegrass Band

This week’s quote…

“I'm not a bad guy! I work hard, and I love my kids. So why should I spend half my Sunday hearing about how I'm going to Hell?” - Homer Simpson

Week 1 - Don't Give Up

Excuses. We all have them, we all make them and we all use them.

Sometimes they are given in defense of our actions. Other times, excuses are used as a reason for quitting or giving up or not doing something we should.

“You can’t expect me to read my Bible every day.”

“I just can’t be nice to that person. They are rude, insensitive, they’ve gossiped about me and they say they’re a Christian.”

“It’s somebody else’s turn to clean-up after church today.”

“I prayed twice this morning, I’m tired, I’m just going to sleep. God will understand.”

Jesus never promised that it would be easy to follow Him.

But then, it wasn’t easy being Him either. He could have quit. He could have called 10,000 angels to rescue him. He could have refused to go to the cross. Rather than love them, He could have decided to hate those who despised him. But He didn’t. He completed the job.

Sometimes we feel like giving up. We read the Bible and it just doesn’t make sense. We pray and God doesn’t seem to answer. We share the gospel with others and they don’t care. God calls us to serve and we can’t see the purpose or the blessing. It all seems useless.

That’s when we simply need to remind ourselves that we can’t give up. Why? Because He hasn’t given up on us. It’s that simple.

He has called us to be faithful. No matter what. No excuses.

This week, pray…

1. That the pressures and demands of this world will not be an excuse.
2. Thank God for sending His son to the cross and that Jesus didn’t “give up.”
3. For the discipline to fight the good fight, to finish the race.
4. That you will see God’s plan for your life and that you will accept it.
5. For someone you don’t like very much.

This week, read…

1. John 19
2. Revelation 3:10-11
3. Matthew 25:23
4. Hebrews 12:1-2
5. 2 Timothy 4:7-8

This week, listen too…

1. Hold On by Selah
2. God Will Make a Way by Don Moen
3. Hold On by The Jonas Brothers

This week’s quote…

“It’s hard to beat somebody when they won’t give up!” – Babe Ruth