I am sure that there were parts of the book that spoke right to you and resonate like it did me. There were other chapters that perhaps didn’t strike a chord. All in all though I think we’d all agree that something was birthed here in the Antelope Valley. We are forever changed by what we have learned.

Our small group is continuing to meet. We have grown to love each other and care for one another in a way that is both exciting and humbling. We have had a chance to get to know one another, pray for each other and begin new relationships that would not have happened if we didn’t have the opportunity to share the 40 Days Of Purpose with each other. The fact is that we need each other, and just as Rick Warren points out in our second of the five purposes, we are “formed for God’s family…”

Speaking of family…

For those of us who have may have a tendency towards being happy lone rangers, and feel that the time commitment is a “hassel” or perhaps we minimize the role of other Christians in our lives, let me encourage you.

Getting on a more intimate level and not distancing ourselves is part of being able to mature in a way that we simply cannot do on our own.

I think that it’s an important reminder that we are not designed to live our lives alone and isolated. It’s just plain unhealthy. As we let down our guard and let other people in, an amazing transformation occurs. We find that though we may feel needy, (and we are), we actually have something to give. The gift that God has placed in us that perhaps we didn’t even know existed, begins to grow, blossom, be shared and recognized by the others that we are in fellowship with. It’s the precious gift of Christ-likeness that is released. We experience our third purpose… we were created to be become like Christ. He who gave Himself for us that we can live…

As we look ahead together and how we can apply what we have learned, let’s remember that God has created you with unique and valuable gift that you can discover and use for His glory. Though you may not see it clearly, and maybe you are even afraid to become vulnerable, it’s important to step out in faith and let your brothers and sisters see who you are. One of the ways to do this is in a small group.

With all of this in mind, this weekend is a very special weekend. We are having the Highlands Annual Ministry Fair where people from various home group fellowships will be available as well as music ministry, dance, exercise, Bible Study groups, Motorcycle groups, and many others will be sharing their passions and talents with you.

The idea is this….

We need you to operate in the gifts and calling that God has put in your life. This will include other people.. so.. take the time to get a sense for what you feel that may be, stop procrastinating and get involved.

Let’s remember what Matthew 12:14-30 says:

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.

Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.

Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Not to good for the worthless slave…but here is the good news as we Look Ahead…

What a tremendous and absolutely incredible opportunity for us to invest our gifts and be pleasing in His sight. After all, as we have studied, our first purpose is that we were “Planned For God’s Pleasure.” Let’s bring Him pleasure!

The three main questions most people have as they come to discover a purpose in their lives are: “Who am I”  which  is about your identity” The second is “Do I matter” which speaks to our need of feeling important. The last is “What is the place in my life?” This deals with our desire to make a difference or an impact with our lives.

The answer to all three of these questions are answered in the five purposes that we have been studying.

As we come to the last day of the 40 Days of Purpose, and we look at what we have covered, it’s a lot of material isn’t it? It raises the question of what we do with all of this and how do we apply it in our daily lives.  What ’s the next step?

I think you’d agree that what we have learned, we are responsible for. It would be easy to get distracted and continue doing the very same things that we did before we started the 40 day journey. But it’s not that easy. We cannot go back. can we. We now know too much.

Hopefully the light bulb has come on and you have had a few “ah-ha” moments on the journey. God is so willing to work with us and help us if we just cooperate. The fact is that it’s easy to get off course. This will take us doing our part to work at this, take action to develop some new habits and focus.

One of the ways we can better “internalize” our purpose is to develop a Life Purpose Statement. It’s a statement that summarizes God’s purpose for your life. It’s not a list of goals. It’s not a “to-do” list. As a matter of fact I have heard it said that sometimes it’s better to have a “not-to-do” list, but we’re not talking about that either.

Your Life Purpose Statement is a way, in your own words to write down and affirm a commitment to the five purposes in your life that you have been learning about over the last six weeks.

It’s a statement that points the direction of your life. It’s a statement that speaks to what you are going to do with your time, life and money, and it also addresses the areas of your life that you are not going to do certain things..where you may need to stop spending money, time, or resources.

It’s a statement that defines success for you. You write down what you believe is important, not what your friends, co-workers or the world thinks… it’s what you think. It clarifies your values. It clarifies your roles, and it is a statement that expresses your “shape.” It reflects the unique ways that God made you to serve him.

It’s easier to prepare a Life Purpose Statement if you answer the Five Greatest Questions:

1. What will be the center of my life?
2. What will be the character of my life?
3. What will be the contribution of my life?
4. What will be the communication of my life?
5. What will be the community of my life?

An example of a short life statement can be like this.

• “My life purpose is to worship Christ with my heart, serve him with my shape, fellowship with his family, grow like him in character, and fulfill his mission in the world so he receives glory.”

You get the idea. The focus is on God’s purposes for your life, not just your plans.

The question is this: Will you be a person used for his purposes in this generation? The greatest joy will be the day that we stand before our Father and he embraces us and says ” well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord.”  We have the opportunity here on earth to bring him pleasure, enjoy and minister to his family, become Christlike, and share the Good News with others. May His purpose be released in us today!

Onward to Day 41 in His purpose….

Keeping a balanced life is a challenge for all of us. We tend to be really busy. We focus on some things and let other things go. Sometimes the things we focus on, or the things we let go can be good, sometimes bad, but it takes work and discernment to keep things in balance.

It’s the same way with the five purposes we have been learning about. Some of the readings may have resonated with us and we said “Yes… this means something to me.” Others may have been difficult to even finish the reading. Whatever the case we have five purposes, all of which are important to keep balanced in our lives.

How to we maintain balance? One of the best ways to maintain balance is to have some accountability in your life through small groups. Remember, we were never meant to do this alone and small groups provide a safe atmosphere where we can share and have others reflect the Word of God back to us and we can see where we need to grow. We learn best in community. Even though the temptation is to be a “self contained” unit, we have some very valuable lessons that we cannot learn apart from being with other believers.

Our minds are sharpened and our convictions deepened through conversation. We can learn from each other, give feedback to one another and encourage each other. Sometimes we just cannot find what we are looking for on our own. We don’t see things from the perspective that we need to see it. We can get lost in our own little world. This is where we can open up to each other share the hard times, the good times and have times of worship and healing.

Another way we can maintain balance is looking at where we are spiritually and doing an assessment of our spiritual health.  Give yourself a spiritual checkup. The “vital signs” that can be checked are: worship, fellowship, growth in character, ministry and mission.  When we look at each of these areas we can take an inventory and ask ourselves if we are balanced or where we need improvement.

We can stay balanced by recording, or “journaling” what we are learning and the progress we are making to fulfill God’s purposes in our lives. Writing tends to help us remember things. What we write about, we can go back and review. It helps us to clarify what God is doing in our lives. Write down the pleasant things and even the not-so-pleasant things. Remember every problem we have is purpose-driven.

A fourth way of staying balanced is to give what we have learned to others… pass it on.. The best way to keep growing and learning is to pass on what we have learned to others. When we pass on the insights that God has given us, He gives us more. It’s an amazing truth. We were not meant to learn the lessons we learn just to keep them “hoarded” for ourselves. The Bible says that “the one who blesses others is abundantly bless; those who help others are helped.” Proverbs 11:25 The fact is this. What you have learned up to this point can and will bless and touch others if you just make yourself available and are willing to pass it on!

The reason that we pass on what we learn, is that God has a purpose to bring others into His Kingdom to know Him and experience His glory. We are privileged to be a part of this great purpose. Bringing Glory To God!! He wants us to introduce others to Christ, bring them into fellowship, help them grow into maturity and discover their place of service, then send them out to reach others too.

No matter where we are in life currently, the rest of our lives can be the best of our lives. Praise be to God

You have a choice to make, be a world class Christian, or be a worldly Christian.

A worldly Christian is someone who look to God mainly for what they can get from Him and for personal fulfillment. They are saved but full of their own agenda that may include enrichment seminars  and concerts, but not be the least bit interested in missions or serving.  It’s a case of the “me” generation just slapping a Christian exterior on. They say all the right things, but are really more interested in a comfortable lifestyle,  and having their own needs met and use God for their own purposes instead of being used for His purposes…

Worl-class Christians know that they have been saved to serve and made with a mission. Big difference. They are excited about the privilege of being used by God. Thy feel fully alive and know that their lives make a difference. They wake up excited about the new ways God is going to use them.

Which type of Christian do you want to be?

It takes a shift in thinking to go from worldly to world-class. You have to shift from a self centered focus to thinking about others. It’s a maturing process. When we were baby Christians, we are naturally a bit self centered, because babies are just that way. We mature as we depend upon the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. It’s not a job we can do on our own. It’s God’s Spirit that helps us mature.

We can also mature and become a world-class Christian as we develop global thinking. The world around us is much bigger than our own home, neighborhood, city or even country. We can start to think globally. The nations of the world are so much more available to us to see on television, read about and even visit. Our lives can make a difference to an entire nation if we open ourselves to thinking that way.

The best way to start is to simply start praying for a country. Start with ours, then branch out. Pray for the leaders to come to know Christ, for the needs to be met for the poor and homeless, that Christian laborers would be released to the harvest fields. Pray that the deceptions of the enemy would be revealed and that the truth of Christ’s finished work on the cross would go forth. Pray that God’s judgment would be held back and that his mercy would prevail.

You can also think more globally if you actually see the areas of the world that you may be praying for. Volunteer for a short term mission. Experience the other places that may not have as much as you do. It’s eye opening to see and it gives you a different perspective.

Becoming a world-class Christian also requires a shift in thinking from the short term, “here and now” to an eternal perspective. Paul said, “we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but that which is unseen. What is seen is temporary, what is not seen is eternal.” 2 Cor 4:18  This shift in a more eternal way of thinking will allow us to put things into perspective. We won’t major on the minor things. We won’t be overly concerned about the things that don’t last and really don’t matter.

How do we shift from temporary thinking to eternal?  We have to daily remind ourselves that we cannot trade our lives for that which is temporary. It is a maturing process to let go of the temporary and replace it with the eternal. We have to trust that our here and now will be taken care of. Even if things don’t look like they will.

The goal to become a world-class Christian can be realized if we don’t make excuses. Shift from excuses why you can’t do it to thinking of creative ways to fulfill your commission. You are never too old, or have nothing to offer. These are just excuses. Not knowing a language is no excuse. There is no special call or voice from heaven that will direct you more than the word that has already been given. Stop making excuses to serve God and becoming a World Class Christian. Ask God to show you where you can serve. Just be willing. You may be surprised what God will do with a willing vessel.

You may not feel as if you have anything to share but that is just the enemy whispering in your ear. You actually have a huge deposit of experiences that God wants you to share in order to bring others into His family.  This is your Life Message, and no…it’s not boring or unworthy to be told.

There are four parts to a life message.

1. Your testimony: the story of how your relationship with Jesus began
2. Your life lessons: what has been the most important lessons God has taught you.
3. Your godly passions: the issues God shaped you to care about most
4. The Good News: the message of salvation

The essence of witnessing is really nothing more than sharing your personal experiences with the Lord.  Your not expected to “prove” anything, convince anybody of anything or try and convert people. It’s your testimony. It’s what’s happened to you. A witness just reports what they saw. Jesus said that you would be “his witnesses”  not his attorney.

Sharing your testimony is an essential part of your mission on the earth because it is unique to you. There is no one else that has your story.  You may not be a bible scholar or even know where all the books of the bible are, but you are an authority on your own life and it’s hard to argue with personal experience.

Personal stories are easier to relate to. When you are sharing what happened to you, and you are authentic, people will respond much differently than a sermon from a professional “preacher.” As a matter of fact, you may be the only Bible some people will ever read…

In order to be prepared to share what God has done in your life, divide it into four parts.

1. What was your life like before you met Jesus
2. How did you realize you needed Jesus
3. How did you commit your life to Jesus
4. The difference Jesus has made in your life.

There are other areas that you could focus on, but this is a great start in telling your story.

Remember that God has also taught you many lessons that you may take for granted, but these are a part of your Life Message as well.

The lessons you have learned will be used to help others through similar situations and maybe even spare them some of the pain that you had to endure while you learned the lesson.

You can share with people what God has taught you through failure, having a lack of money, an illness, from disappointments or even some great blessing you have been given. What have you learned from other brothers and sisters, a great message you responded to, or how home groups have helped you.  You have a lot to share, and as you think about it, you’ll be surprised as to how much..

Your God given passions are areas that God wants you to talk about. You may be passionate about a cause, such as the rights of unborn children, or about the elderly and seeing that they are taken care of. Whatever you feel passionate about, is an area that you have a Life Message in as well. Everybody is not as passionate as you are about things, that is what makes us different.

The Good News is part of your Life Message, isn’t it. God has never made a person that He didn’t love. Many of them just don’t know it yet. It’s your job to tell them the Good News. Loving others leaves no choice but to share God’s love. Are you willing? Is anyone going to heaven because of you?

Think of who needs to hear from you today. It is your Life Message that can be the very tool that God uses to touch that person. Don’t let fear hold you back…

Yes…God is at work in the world and He has extended an invitation for you to join him. Should you accept the invitation, this assignment will be your mission. Your work and service to the Body of Christ is your ministry, and your work and service in the world is your mission. God wants you to have both…

As we come to day 36 of in our 40 Days of Purpose, we find that fulfilling your mission in the world is our fifth purpose. There are two parts to this mission. One part is shared. The other is specific. The shared part is the responsibility that we share with every other Christian. The other part is the part that is specific only to you.

When we become Christians we are sent out with a unique mission in the world, to represent Christ,  as messengers. Jesus said, “as the Father sent me, so I send you…” Jn 20:21 His mission was completed at the cross, when he uttered “It is finished.” He passed the torch on to us, because we are his body on the earth. Our mission is to show the love of God, and introduce others to Christ.

Our mission is important and there are several reasons why

1. Your mission is a continuation of Jesus’ mission on earth
2. Your mission is a wonderful privilege.
3. Telling others that they can have eternal life is the greatest thing that you can do for them.
4. Your mission gives your life meaning.
5. God’s timetable for histories conclusion is connected to the completion of our commission.

The mission is so significant that Jesus said it five times in five different ways in five books of the Bible! The Great Commission that Jesus gave all his followers, (not just pastors and teacher says “Go to the people of every nation and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you.”  Matthew 28:19-20  As followers of Christ this mission is a wonder, but mandatory, privilege.

If you knew the cure for cancer but never told anyone…that would be a criminal act. If we knew how people could be set free from bitterness and experience forgiveness, have peace and a purpose in their lives,  and live eternally, wouldn’t we want to say something? Do we really believe that we are the message bearers of Good News…the Best News? Or.. have we gotten so bogged down not trying to “offend” people, even if it meant they would be saved from a life of destruction and death. Sometimes it boggles the mind why we don’t say more than we do…

We have a divine purpose in our mission that has eternal significance. The consequences of our mission will last forever, the consequences of our job will not. Nothing that we do has more meaning and matters more than helping people establish an eternal relationship with God.

There are people here in this world that you are the only person that will be able to reach them because of where you live or work. You are that very person that God chose for that very person at this very time. It’s a divine appointment with eternal consequences. Don’t miss the opportunity.

If you commit to fulfilling your mission, no matter what it costs, God will meet you with grace and power beyond your wildest dreams. To share the very thing that is closest to God’s heart, his love and desire to reconcile the world to himself, will bring you into an understanding and joy of knowing Him that compares with nothing that is offered by this world. To cooperate with God, there isn’t anything that He won’t do for you.

God loves to use weak people…

We all have weaknesses. We may try to not think about them, deny them, get defensive about them, but we have them. The can be emotional flaws, intellectual imperfections, or circumstances that are beyond our control that weaken us like financial or relational limitations. It’s what we do, when we are faced with our weaknesses that makes the difference.God has a different perspective on our weaknesses. “My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are higher than your ways.” Isaiah 55:9 We think that God wants to use our strengths when he really is glorified in our weaknesses instead. We want to “put our best foot forward,” and be known for out strengths. But God thinks differently… “God purposely chose the weak things of the world to confound the mighty.” 1 Cor 1:27 Your weaknesses are not an accident. They are the very things in your life that God wants to use to demonstrate His power!

If God used only perfect people, then nothing would get done because none of us is flawless. The Bible is full of example of people that were mightily used by God, but had major imperfections and did extraordinary things in spite of their flaws and weaknesses.

It might be good to define a weakness. It is not something that we can change or a sin such as overeating or impatience. It is something that you inherited that you have no power to change. It can be a physical limitation such as a handicap or illness. It may be an emotional limitation such as a trauma or personality quirk. It can even be an intellectual challenge, because we are not all born super bright or talented.

The good news is that God is never limited by our limitations! When we feel like our weaknesses are the very things that would disqualify us from serving God, we find that they are the very things, when properly related to, that qualify us for serving God. It is from our weaknesses that we are made strong.

The first step we need to make however, is to admit our weaknesses. We need to own up to them, stop pretending that they don’t exist and we have it all together. Be honest. Learn to identify them.

The second thing we need to do is to be content with your weaknesses. Paul was someone in the Bible that asked God several times to remove a “thorn” or weakness that he had, but God never took it away. Instead of feeling dejected and depressed about it, Paul says, ” I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know that is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses.” 2 Cor. 12:9 Contentment is an expression of faith in the goodness of God. Basically it says to God, “God you know what is best for me and I know you love me.”

Our weakness is a reminder that we need to depend on God for his strength. Our weakness is a reminder to not become arrogant. It can be something that keeps our ego’s in check and keep us from running ahead of God. Our weakness can actually open doorways of new fellowship with others. Have you ever met one of those super “have it together” people? They almost put off an air of “I don’t need you.” On the other hand, genuine people who admit their weaknesses can be the best friends and put you at ease because they are “human” They understand. They care.

It’s those areas of weakness that you are the most ashamed of that God wants to use to bless others with. Hard to believe but true. It is important to honestly share your weakness. True ministry begins with vulnerability. The more you take down your mask, let down your guard and share your struggles, the more God will use you in service. The more honest you are, the more grace you get and you will receive grace from others. Vulnerability is an endearing quality. We are naturally attracted to humble people and it is the pathway to intimacy with others. Something we desperately need…

How about this one? This is fun. You need to glory in your weaknesses! Get excited and boast about our weakness? That feels crazy doesn’t it? Instead of being a poser.. and pretending that you are so strong and mighty, see yourself as a trophy of Gods grace. When Satan comes to you and points out just how weak and frail you are … agree with him and pour out your praise for Jesus who “understand our weaknesses” and for the Holy Spirit that “helps us in our weaknesses.”

Our weaknesses are the very things that God has allowed in our lives so that his strength is perfected in us. Out of our weaknesses come Gods strength. Don’t limit God’s power by trying to hide them, deny them or get defensive about them. They are there for a reason. Your limitations are not Gods limitations. Even the greatest handicap that we may have is no match for the boundless grace that comes as we offer it up to God and “Glory in our weakness.” God uses weak people. Praise God!

Being a servant is a mental thing. It is an attitude, and God looks more on the attitude of our heart and why we do things more than what we actually do. In 2 Chronicles 25:2 it says that King Amaziah lost God’s favor “he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a true heart.” You mean to say that we can do what is right, but not do it with the right heart? Yes…it all boils down to attitude…

Real servants think more about others than they think about themselves. It’s not that we don’t think about ourselves at all, it’s that we think about ourselves less. When we are exhorted to “lose our lives” for Christ’s sake, that is the process of “forgetting” ourselves in service to others. It’s about focus. When you stop focusing on your own needs, you can begin to see the needs of others.

When we think of Jesus, we see someone who, as our example, “emptied himself taking on the form of a servant.” Philippians 2:7 When was the last time you emptied yourself out on the behalf of someone else? It is a rare quality because we are by nature very self serving people. Most of the time we use our service to get someone to recognize us, be admired, or serve our own goals. If we honestly look at our hearts, our attitudes can be questionable. This is why each day challenges us to humble ourselves as circumstances “de-center” us and change our attitudes towards service. When I am given the choice to meet my own needs, or meet the needs of others, what I choose shows me where I really live. Self-denial is at the core of true servanthood.

Servants think like stewards not owners. Now…this one is a big one for most of us. What we think about what we “own” will affect our choices and how we serve. Here’s the interesting part… we don’t “own” anything. Our Father has entrusted us, as stewards, all of the resources we have. God is the one who “owns” everything and real servants remind themselves of this every day.

With that in mind, we have to ask ourselves how is that working for you? How are you handling the resources that God has entrusted to you? If you are like most people, this is an area of great and needed improvement, and in order to become a true servant of God, you have to settle the issue of money once and for all.

Money, money, money… it can motivate you, hold you, cause fear if you don’t have it, and be your master. It can be the greatest distraction or a great ally. It can be your master, or you can master it. You can use it to build your kingdom, or you can make a lot of it and build the real Kingdom. Jesus spoke more about money that he spoke about heaven or hell. The bottom line is this… ” no servant can serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and money.” Luke 16:13

Living for ministry and living for money are mutually exclusive. Wealth is not a sin. It doesn’t mean that God wants you to live in poverty. Failing to use money for God’s glory is a sin. God uses money to test your faithfulness as a servant.

Real servants think about their work, not what others are doing. What you do is important, but comparing what you do with what others do is foolish and a waste of time. Remember the story of Mary and Martha? One of the sisters was busy working in the kitchen, and the other took the most expensive thing she owned, a costly perfume, and poured it on Jesus worshiping Him. Mary was pretty upset about the fact that Mary wasn’t helping, the disciples were upset because they saw dollars signs going down the drain, and Jesus.. well… he said it was “significant” Matt. 26:10. Martha shouldn’t have been criticizing Mary’s act of service. This is not a competition. We are all on the same team. If you find yourself critical of another ministry, perhaps you need to look at what are you doing and think about that…

Servants base their identity in Christ. Servants have nothing to prove and they are not looking for approval. They are not trying to prove their worth by what they do because they have settled their identity in Christ. Only secure people can be true servants. Insecure people are always worried about how they appear to others. They fear the exposure of weaknesses and hide beneath layers and layers of protective pride and pretense. When we give up measuring our meaning by the yardstick of others, we become free to be compassionate and serve. When you base your worth and identity in Christ you are freed from expectations of others and you can see clearly to serve them best.

Servants think of their ministry as an opportunity not an obligation. They enjoy what they do. They serve the Lord with “gladness.” Joy is in their hearts as they reach out to help meet needs. They have hearts full of grace, because they are genuinely thankful for what God has done in their lives. They know that the highest level of worship and the greatest use of their lives is in giving their lives away. The real joy comes from service, not from a place of some sort of duty, or obligation but the love that is shed abroad” in our hearts. God will begin to use us as we change our thinking and act like true servants. It’s never to late, and quite frankly… God is waiting..

It really is amazing to see different perspectives on the same topic isn’t it? The “worlds” way of doing things and biblical ways of doing things. The two are “worlds” apart…

For instance, we are bombarded with the idea that to “get ahead” and be successful we must climb the ladder of success and sometimes that means climbing on top and over other people to get “there,” that place of power and prestige. This is a place where you can demand service (in a nice way of course..) from other people. You have arrived. Men tend to be more prone to this, however women are just as tempted to have this attitude as well. It isn’t a well advertised concept to live like a servant, in a self-serving culture.

Jesus had a different perspective. He didn’t measure greatness by status, he measured it by service. It’s not how many people serve you….it’s how many people you serve. We acknowledge how important great leadership is and even have thousands of books written on the subject, but the idea of servant leadership seems foreign. God has shaped us to be Christ-like and that is in the form of a servant.

Here’s something interesting though… in order to be an effective servant, we have to have a heart of a servant. You can give yourself to many things, helping as an usher, teaching Sunday school, pick up chairs after a meeting, help direct traffic in the parking lot, you name it… anyone can do it. No real special gift is required, it just requires character. It is even possible to serve in a church for a lifetime without ever being a servant. It is a matter of the heart… you need to have a servants heart.

How do you know if you have a servants heart or not? Jesus said, “You can tell what they are, by what they do.” Matt. 7:16 It’s what we do that shows whether or not we have a servants heart.

Real servants are not just fitting service into an already busy schedule as a part of a to-do list. They are available to serve when called upon or when the need arises. Funny thing about needs arising… they don’t happen on our time schedule and it’s usually inconvenient! Are we available to God anytime? Can God come in and mess up our plans? Do we become resentful about the people or situations that create these inconvenient problems for us? Or.. do we remind ourselves that we are part of an army of servants, called upon at any time to show mercy or help out. Interruptions can be divine appointments for ministry and we can welcome the opportunity to serve.

Real servants look for ways to serve. They take initiative! They don’t wait to be asked to serve, they don’t “hang back” in the wings hoping no one sees them. They are alert to opportunities and seize them when they come up. Like John Wesley said ” Do all the good you can by all the means you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.” This pretty much sums it up doesn’t it?

Real servants simply do the best they can with what they have. You can never wait until the “time is right” because that time never comes. It’s like putting off starting a Procrastinators Club. It will never be right enough, good enough or perfect enough. Less than perfect service always beats the best of intentions!

Many people put off service because they don’t feel “good enough.” Unfortunately the idea of serving with “excellence” has intimidated many who feel just like average people. You will always be good enough to start serving somewhere. That is how we all start. I look at my daughters beginning in gymnastics. She is so happy to be there learning new things and getting the floor routine down. It didn’t start that way.. but it is great seeing her get better and better. This is how God views us… we start something, from the heart, imperfect as it may be, then we get better at it.

Real servants do every task with equal dedication. Whatever the size of the task whether big or small, do it with all of your heart. There will never be a task to small for you. There was nothing beneath Jesus. He washed feet, he cooked, helped with children and served lepers. It’s the small tasks that show a big heart. It’s the often overlooked little tasks that others don’t think of.. (Guys with wives…take note… they are really good at this.)Great opportunities often disguise themselves as little tasks.

Real servants ate faithful to their ministry. They fulfill their promises, complete their tasks, don’t leave jobs undone, stay committed and don’t quit. Faithfulness is such a rare quality, but it is the uncompromising quality of a true servant. Can you be counted upon by others? Jesus himself will welcome you into his arms one day by saying “Well done my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in the handling of this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!” Matthew 25:23

Real servants maintain a low profile. Your service is not meant to call attention to yourself, even though you may be recognized for what you do. Whether or not someone actually sees what you do is not the point. The Pharisees practiced their service to be “seen of men,” so other people could see how “spiritual they are. Self promotion and service don’t mix. What you do may not be noticed in the eyes of men, but oh how it is recognized and appreciated in the eyes of God! Don’t get discouraged even though you may think that your contribution is small. It’s great in the site of God!

God deserves your best…

When we consider how God has “shaped” us, and we discover our Spiritual gifts, see the Heart and passions we have, what natural Abilities we have, appreciate and acknowledge our unique Personality, and how our Experiences have molded us, we then can offer this back to God for service. He doesn’t expect us to be perfect or worry about what we don’t have, he wants us to use what we do have.

The best use of our lives is to serve God out of our shape. How has he gifted you? Do you even know? If you have ever tried to do something outside of your “shape” you know it don’t you? It really is a waste of time and energy, as well as you wind up feeling like a square peg trying to be shoved into a round hole. This is not how God intended your talents to be used. In order to do this though, you need to really discover your shape, learn to enjoy it and develop it to the fullest potential.

“Do not act thoughtlessly, but try to find out and do whatever the Lord wants you to do.” Ephesians 5:17 It’s time to find out who we are and act with deliberate intention to use what we discover, and it starts today. Do not let another day pass without clarifying what God intends for you to be and to do.

We begin the process by assessing our gifts and talents. This isn’t as hard as we would want to make it to be! Take a look at what you are good and what you are not good at. Make a list. Ask other people what they think. Tell them that you don’t want compliments, you want the truth. Spiritual gifts and natural abilities are always confirmed by others. If you think you are gifted with being able to sing, but everyone around you says that you can’t sing on key, maybe that’s not the place to serve…

Where have you already been successful? Where has there already been good fruit in my life? If you see an area of success, then you may consider “experimenting” with that area in your area of service for God. Where do you feel the most fully alive? What do I like doing that I completely lose track of time? Do I like being by myself or a part of a team? Do I enjoy competing or cooperating?

Many brothers and sisters, and even non-believers think that God calls them to a life of fruitless sacrifice and meaningless hard service. This is a lie and a misrepresentation of the intimate heart of God. He never intended you to be a sad servant, just waiting to get to heaven where you can be happy. The greatest joy on earth is realizing the person you were meant to be, and joyfully serving out of that place. The joy of the Lord comes from being who he called you to be. You need to see that…

As you review your past experiences, see how God may have used those to help you be who you are as well. Have you had painful experiences that you would rather forget. Maybe you were abused. Maybe you failed in a business or in a marriage. Perhaps you witnessed one or both of your parents passing away. These are significant areas of pain and shaping that God will use if you let him. Your experience can help someone else get through a rough time. It’s not areas to be forgotten, it’s areas to be healed and redeemed. God is merciful and compassionate….

We then move on to accept and enjoy our shape. Now that is an interesting idea isn’t it? Accept and enjoy our shape? What if I don’t like my shape?… after all I am not like “so and so” who has their life so together… they are so smart and they don’t seem to struggle like I do, and they have more money than me, and I seem to barely make it paycheck to paycheck…blah blah blah blah… STOP!

The Bible says ” What right have you as a human being to cross examine God? The pot has no right to say to the potter, ‘Why did you make me this shape?’ Surely a potter can do what he likes with the clay.” Romans 9:20

Better get used to it my friend. Accept and enjoy how the potter has shaped you… don’t compare yourself. There will always be someone who will make you look real good, and someone else who can make you look like an idiot. We look best just as we have been designed, not trying to please everyone, or be someone who we aren’t. Comparisons steal our joy.

Just as we have been given physical muscles that need exercise to stay in shape or they atrophy and cannot work the way God intended, so are the talents God has given us. They need to be exercised or we lose them. Scary thought but true.. We need to practice with them. You are not born with any talent fully developed. For instance you may have a gift of music and be able to hear and sing notes on key. It takes practice to learn to read and play music though.

In the same way, we have opportunities to practice our gifts, grow and mature by using them. Maybe you like kids… have you ever thought that you could help teach kids, lead kids in worship, walk with kids that have no dad or mom, adopt a child, sponsor a child… the list goes on and on, in every area you can imagine… no one can do it the way YOU can do it, but it takes practice and a willingness to experiment a little bit. Try out new “exercise” routines.

Here’s the question to ponder today. “How can I make the best use of what God has given me?” Think about it and be encouraged… you can be a powerful agent of change by simply using what God gave you…