September 2: SERVING

See it:

Everything they do is done for others to see. On their foreheads and arms they wear little boxes that hold Scripture verses. They make the boxes very wide. And they make the tassels on their coats very long. Matthew 23:5 (NIRV)

Obey it:

Every act has its motivation. God not only sees the acts, He knows the intentions of the heart. Have you ever asked yourself, “Why do I serve?” These are some of the common motivators for serving:

·         Habit. That’s what you were taught. You got used to serving.

·         Obligation. If you don’t serve, you can’t take part, so you serve.

·         Fear. If you stop serving, you worry something bad might happen to you.

·         Peer pressure. Everyone in your family and church serves, so you also serve.

·         You were asked. Someone asked you to serve, so you serve.

·         Self-interest. You want more blessings. You’ve heard that if you serve, you will get it.

·         Influence. When you serve in significant ways, your opinion seems to count more.

·         Legalism. You believe that the act of serving wins you salvation, or at least it helps.

·         Competition. You want your church, group, or family to serve more than ______.

Why do you serve? What is the real reason? Let’s serve simply:

·         Because God served us first. Let’s serve because of what God did.

·         Because we want God to know that we recognize His sovereignty and power over our lives.

·         Because we love God and can’t keep from serving. Not serving is no longer an option!

Share it:
1. Let someone get ahead of you in line.
2. Listen intently.
3. Prepare a nutritious sack lunch for a homeless person.

My prayer today:
Jesus, I want to serve You and Your people for the right reasons. Help me to do that. Amen.

Season of Service