When I opened my devotion today online in the Upper Room devotional, it was titled "Others First". God's devotional message today follows in line with what we talked about yesterday! It excites me to see God's words of encouragement for us all this morning as I start my day. Let me start by sharing today's scripture readings with you!
Philippians 2:1-4
"If then there is any encouragement in
Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any
compassion and sympathy,
make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.
Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others."
God wants us to be all we can for him...to do more, to love more, to BE more! As human beings, we all have busy lives that require a lot of time and attention. We have work, kids, homework, meals, housework, etc etc....the list continues! Often the thought occurs that we should do something for someone at church, but then time passes and we decide it has been too long. OR, we may hear of a sick church member or friend and think I should go for a visit or send a card, but time passes and they are well and its been too long.
These are all traps the devil wants us in to keep us from caring about each other. He does not want us to encourage each other, to share joy, or to think of others. He wants us to be selfish or to do things for the accolades and praise, but God's word says differently!! In doing and caring for others, we are NOT to do anything for our own glory, but that it may glorify God and serve his purpose as Christians.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
So seek today to serve others first by putting God first and allow him to direct your path. My prayer each morning will be for God to show me people who are in need and to do for them...even when my "to do" list is full! If you read this and have something you need for me to pray about, please email me at LUgal2010@aol.com...it's the easiest and yet most powerful tool I can offer.
God wants us to be all we can for him...to do more, to love more, to BE more! As human beings, we all have busy lives that require a lot of time and attention. We have work, kids, homework, meals, housework, etc etc....the list continues! Often the thought occurs that we should do something for someone at church, but then time passes and we decide it has been too long. OR, we may hear of a sick church member or friend and think I should go for a visit or send a card, but time passes and they are well and its been too long.
These are all traps the devil wants us in to keep us from caring about each other. He does not want us to encourage each other, to share joy, or to think of others. He wants us to be selfish or to do things for the accolades and praise, but God's word says differently!! In doing and caring for others, we are NOT to do anything for our own glory, but that it may glorify God and serve his purpose as Christians.
But, when have we done too much...there are people we see every day who expect us to do things for them and this tends to jade our perspective of the actual act of "doing"! However, it is my belief that yes we should use our gifts and talents wisely, but we have not been given these gifts to build ourselves up, but to put others first and be God's hands and feet. You see talents used unwisely can be taken from us and then who fulfills the purpose God created us for?
Use your talents, your time and your words carefully. Send a card right when you think of it, make a phone call when someone pops into your mind (even though you know they may be long winded...like me!), or just visit people. Hug more, love more and do more...in the end aren't we here to serve and be of service to each other. God will take care of the credit as you fill your crown with the heavenly gems he has promised. Never do anything in HIS name for your own credit or glory. Boasting and bragging are not what we are to do as is written in Ephesians 2:4-9:
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
So seek today to serve others first by putting God first and allow him to direct your path. My prayer each morning will be for God to show me people who are in need and to do for them...even when my "to do" list is full! If you read this and have something you need for me to pray about, please email me at LUgal2010@aol.com...it's the easiest and yet most powerful tool I can offer.
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