Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.
Do you realize that God put you here to make a contribution? God has for you a special assignment! He designed you to make a difference with your life! You have a role; purpose; work to fulfill.
God did not save you to sit…Soak… And soar… But to SERVE!
I call 1 John 3 our call to serve scripture:
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
1John 3: 16 – 24
John brings it down to the personal level in verses 17 and 18. Since Christ laid down his life for each one of us, we are meant to give our lives away also. In other words, we are to lay down our own possessions.
So we need to ask the question, “What does our possessions represent in today’s world?”
John makes it very clear that as we see someone who has a practical need, a tangible material need, and we turn our backs away, it’s as if we made the love of God disappear. Laying our lives down means giving freely of our money and resources to be a blessing to others.
Our possessions represent our time and talent. Jesus’ example challenges us to consider volunteering our time and abilities to bless others. Specifically, every church rises and falls on the amount of volunteer energy it has harnessed. Our church has volunteer needs in a number of places. In addition, God expects each one of us to be a blessing in the lives that need God in their lives. Intentionally building a friendship with unbelieving friends and neighbors is a wonderful way “to give away your possessions.”
John makes it very clear that giving our lives away is one of the hallmark behaviors of being a Christian.When we look at all that Jesus has done for us, how can we selfishly hold on to our own possessions? Our possessions are for other people. Who is God asking you to give your possessions to today? Let’s respond to God’s promptings today and purpose to lay our lives down for others.
So why is my inside job on what makes a good volunteer? Because I want everyone to find happiness!
The difference between happy people and unhappy people is found in the way they think! You see unhappy people think selfishly, happy people think like a servant. If you're ever going to be happy in your home-life, work-life, or in your church-life you have to begin thinking like a servant!
Unhappy people are those who live to be served. Happy people are those who live to serve.
There are many opportunities with your Church and community to serve. I dare you to take 1 day of the week and to serve… just one day. See how it fills your heart and your mood. I dare you!!!
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