“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35
Do you truly desire and yearn for “more” of God and His blessedness? This should be the deep desire of every disciple. How do I get “more blessed”? Am I left to wonder what the answer to this important question is? Does holy writ reveal the answer to this question?
Yes. To get more “blessed”, I must “give” more of myself to my LORD. I must be willing to have the LORD increase in me as I decrease, so as to facilitate His expansion in my being. The LORD stated:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn (grain, seed) of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth (continues) alone (unfruitful): but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me by dying to his own will and living unto the Father’s); and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.” John 12:24-26
In this sinful and perishing world system we dwell in, self and being served is king, but in the kingdom of God, self-less serving is the measure of greatness.
"He is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he can never lose." Jim Elliott
Serving is blessedness and is the great and perpetual prayer and desire of every true disciple. I must yearn for more of His presence, His holiness, His love and His grace. To follow on to know my Master deeper, I must pray the prayer John the Baptist prayed:
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30
He is to increase and I decrease. That is, I must become less in control of my own life and will, and relinquish my right to myself. The self-emptying process must more fully take its course. For I have been bought with the price of His holy blood as the result of His infinitely merciful sacrifice, and no longer live unto myself, but unto Him who gave Himself for me (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 2:20. I get to love Him more than I love myself! LORD teach me each day to love You more and myself less.
“And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” 2 Corinthians 5:15
I must relinquish control of the reigns of my life and will to the One who is worthy of all my praise as long as He gives me the breath of life.
Do we not have this thing called life all wrong? Do we not need a complete transformation of thought? LORD, please have mercy upon us and change us. Amen.
"The One who is the Highest came and became/to become the lowest. We who are the lowest, seek to be the highest." unknown
Friend, there are no shortcuts – This is the true path to blessedness with God – putting Him first by giving Him and His people more of me daily. In fact, if I am not growing to “give” or serve more, I am not growing as a disciple of my LORD. The true measure of spiritual growth is seen in how much we give of ourselves to God and others.
To the degree I am serving, my spirituality can be measured.
“But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” Matthew 23:11
My humility is the true measure of my spirituality.
The way humble serving plays out in my daily life could be as simple as smiling warmly at others (Matthew 5:44-48), gently encouraging another, visiting a sick person, instructing a child in the way of righteousness, planting a seed of love in someone’s heart by writing an encouraging note with Scripture, emailing or writing a letter to remind someone how much the LORD loves them, passing a Gospel tract to a lost soul who needs the refuge that only the Savior can give him…. (James 1:26-28).
In our lives, May all things be done unto the building up of the saints/body of Christ and the reaching of those who do not yet know Him (John 17; Galatians 6:10).
"Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification." Romans 15:2
"Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth." 1 Corinthians 10:24
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, May Your love fill my whole being increasingly and govern my every thought and action as I set myself to be conformed to Your image and will. Not my will but Thine be done. Thank You for the privilege serve others in this short life. Jesus I know You are coming soon. May my hand be found upon the plow of serving others as unto You. I love You my Savior. Thank You for saving me and setting my life apart for Your holy purposes. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus. Amen.
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Philippians 2:3-5
sign up here for free email devotional: info@safeguardyoursoul.com
http://safeguardyoursoul.com/
http://theoriginalgospel.com
http://toddtomasella.co
http://womenwhofeargod.com/
http://toddtomasella.net
http://momentswithmymaster.com
http://todd-tomasella.com
http://predatorsinourpulpits.com/
http://everywordofgodispure.blogspot.com/
http://toddtomasella.org
http://once-saved-always-saved.com
http://everywordofgodispure.blogspot.com/2011/02/todd-tomasella-downward-dyingupward.html
http://toddtomasella.me
