In Matthew 20:25-28, the Bible says: “But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you: but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and to whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'”
If you were to picture Jesus Christ, you would probably see him standing with everyone kneeling in front of him. The more accurate picture of Jesus Christ would be with him kneeling and everyone else standing – there’s a big difference.
The true Jesus Christ that you, and I, know is the Jesus Christ that talks about service. Service to others is one of the highest ways to live life. In service to others, we find our own happiness. We often think that we should have it all. But the whole concept of Christianity is not that we should have it all – it is that we should give it all away. As we give it away, we find the key to a spiritual mystery that it all returns to us – multiplied.
This Sunday, at church, don’t just attend, ask what you can do to help. You will get much more than you give. YOU CAN’T OUT-GIVE GOD!
In Romans 7:6 we read, “But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.”
This tells us that we are not serving under a ball and chain type of service. We are serving the Lord by consenting inside of us.
It’s a better life, a very high life. It’s a life filled with so much joy we can’t possibly imagine how much. Jesus said he gave his life as a ransom for many. Each of us has given our life as a ransom for many if we are walking the high path. It’s not that we’re going to be crucified; we are going the extra mile and becoming “other-centered.”
We hear a lot today about recycling; I’m asking you to recycle yourself. Don’t stay enclosed in a small area; get outside of your comfort circle and make a difference in somebody’s life. Many of you have done this your whole life. The bottom line is, “Did I make a difference last year, or last month, or last week, or yesterday?” You are here for a purpose. I don’t know what that purpose is; only you know what that purpose is. But I can give you a broad definition of purpose – you are here to make a difference: you are here to let your light shine; you are here to follow Jesus Christ. Will you suffer? The amazing thing is you don’t suffer at all, because life becomes a joy. You see, you pass through this day but once. Therefore, any kind thing you can do can make a big difference. You don’t know what a little light will do in someone’s life. You say: “Well, I’m not going to act on that thought. It’s such a small thing what difference could it possibly make?” You don’t know. We rarely know the difference we can make. I ask you to go in S E R V I C E to God.
When you go all the way in S E R V I C E to God, you don’t have to give up anything. Instead, you gain everything. Jesus talked about this a thousand times. The problem is that we don’t believe it. Our faith seems to dwindle at some point, making it difficult to get out of our comfort zone. But that is where life really is; it’s where the answers to everything lie.
We often ask what something is going to do for us, when our real question should be what are we going to do for it.
John F. Kennedy in his inauguration address said, “Ask not what this country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country?”
That could be paraphrased 1000 ways. Ask not what your church can do for you, but what you can do for your church?
The game is never one from the sidelines!
In Romans 9:12 the Bible states, “The elder will serve the younger.” What a different picture we have of life. We see the younger serving the elder. But think about it. If you are following the Christ Path, and if you have more years on your physical body temple than other people, you know more about life. The finest way you can serve life may be to give of your talents, and experience, to help those who are younger to avoid some of the potholes of life. You have what it takes to keep them out of those holes.
Do you want happiness in your life? I know you do, or you wouldn’t be reading this, or any, “Positive Daily Inspiration.” You want something more than you’ve had so far. You have been searching for the magic, and sometimes you’ve found it, but many times it’s been missing. You want to all the time. Then, after a while, you think, Well, I really can’t have it all the time. Life is like a roller coaster. It goes up and then it goes down, and that’s the way life is.
But you CAN have it all the time. You can have a whole life not knowing depression. I know many of you have experienced depression, and sometimes it’s been a long bout. To get out of depression, you MUST get out of yourself. That’s especially difficult when you’re feeling down. It’s like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, but what is really on your shoulders is yourself. You have to get out of yourself, stop thinking about yourself and become other-centered. When you do, the magic happens. It’s a wonderful spiritual sparkle which continues. There is a flow of Christ energy through you, and you are filled with Christ thoughts on how to serve. It makes a huge difference in your life. We are all construction workers if we are following the Christ. What we are constructing is other people.
In describing this ministry, I often say, “We do not build buildings – we build people!
We are building them up and not ever tearing them down, because we have a mission. There are many in the world who are working to tear down construction projects called human beings. But we are in the business of building people up because that is how the world will be changed.
Will you join me in this year-long project of Positive Christianity of being in active S E R V I C E to God through serving others?
Jesus said in part, “Do this to one of these – the least, my brethren, and you have done it unto me.”
POSITIVE DAILY PRAYER:
Infinite wisdom guides me in the service I give.
Infinite wisdom through me provides the opportunity for me to serve. Divine love through me prepares me to serve with the sense of satisfaction, both heartwarming and fulfilling.
My chores, my work, all my activities seem less difficult as I set about them cheerfully and lovingly. I know that Infinite wisdom is guiding me aright in the service I give, that Divine love is establishing harmony every step of the way. I feel a sense of rightness and of right timing in all that I do.
I give thanks for my ability to serve in any way that I am directed. I give thanks for the fuller expression of life that I find in serving. I give thanks that Divine love provides abundantly for me. I pray that the service I render may be a joy filled experience that touches the lives of others.
In Jesus Christ’s name … Amen
“Rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same again from the Lord.”
Ephesians 6:7
POSITIVE DAILY AFFIRMATION: God equips me with the talents I need to serve effectively.
POSITIVE DAILY QUOTE: “The enemy is fear. We think it is hate, but it is fear.”
Gandhi
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Planting seeds brings Spring flowers, planting seeds of generosity brings growth and lasting lifelong success.
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GOD BLESS YOU,
Christopher Ian Chenoweth
