Dependable Devotion

 Dependable Devotion

2 Corinthians 7: ¹² So, even though I wrote that letter, it was not because of the one who did wrong or the one who was wronged. Instead, I wrote it to make plain to you, in God's sight, how deep your devotion to us really is. ¹³ That is why we were encouraged.

 

Not only were we encouraged; how happy Titus made us with his happiness over the way in which all of you helped to cheer him up! ¹⁴ I did boast of you to him, and you have not disappointed me. We have always spoken the truth to you, and in the same way the boast we made to Titus has proved true. ¹⁵ And so his love for you grows stronger, as he remembers how all of you were ready to obey his instructions, how you welcomed him with fear and trembling. ¹⁶ How happy I am that I can depend on you completely!

 

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“Are you okay?” were the strange words from a guy from a church I had not attended in years. I can’t remember if I was okay or not. I was touched that he reached out to check on me after so many years. We caught up and I left the conversation encouraged.

 

• I can’t remember the trouble of that time but I remember the encouragement.
• I can’t remember what problem I was going through but I remember the devotion.
• I can’t remember if things were going well or wrong but I remember the dependability.

 

Paul seems very excited about those who prayed for him and sincerely wanted him to keep spreading the valuable word of JESUS’ resurrection. This group was so devoted, they treated Paul’s friend Titus with love.

 

My Observations

• GOD cares enough about me to send devoted people to me in my need.
• GOD sees the troubles I go through and sends dependable people to comfort me.
• GOD knows when I need encouragement and surrounds me with people who care about my servanthood to CHRIST.

 

Devotion to CHRIST is the love or enthusiasm shown to others because of HIM. I mean, many people are nice and there are causes that seem quite noble on the surface. BUT GOD has many people who are devoted to speak about HIS SON at a moments notice.

 

Their light is not hidden, rather it radiates in all they do. GOD has sent me many people who thoroughly bless me and others as they rise above complaints to provide encouragement. I am grateful for those who have been dependable and devoted to CHRIST. They taught me a lot.

 

Challenge

• Can you imagine a group of people who are always dependable to encourage you?
• What did the writer see in this crowd of people?
• Do you need encouragement but cannot see the dependable crowd?
• Will you be encouraged by this note and know you are special to GOD and HE sees you and loves you more than you know?

I Don’t Mean to Brag But…

Jeremiah 9: ²³ This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
    or the strong boast of their strength
    or the rich boast of their riches,
²⁴ but let the one who boasts boast about this:
    that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
    justice and righteousness on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.

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After my meeting I asked “How do I get promoted.” “Manage upward” was the reply. “What does that mean?” I asked. “It’s a subtle way of telling your accomplishments without going overboard. Do this regularly and you will get ahead.” “Hmmm, I wonder if this would work everywhere.”

• There were times that I would brag about “my” accomplishments.
• There were times that I would speak about what “I” had done through “my” strength.
• There were times that I would talk about “my” wisdom so I could get ahead.

Boasting about my accomplishments in a subtle way worked. I moved up the ladder only to find the top floor filled with people who did the same. Egos ran rampant and after a while we were all “managing upwards” to ourselves, never once acknowledging GOD’s hand.

• GOD wants me to brag about the wonderful relationship I have with HIM.
• GOD wants me to boast about the LORD’s kindness.
• GOD wants me to show off HIS justice and righteousness everywhere I go.

Pointing my life towards me only yields temporary applause on earth. People will smile and give me accolades one day and move far away from me the next. GOD wants me to point my life towards HIS. HE delights when I bring more and more people to HIM and desires that I not be silent about my relationship with HIM. HE has shown me kindness beyond anything I could imagine. HE is a wonderful GOD!

• Are you trying to be in the spotlight?
• Do you feel it necessary to be recognized by everyone?
• Can you point your life towards GOD by giving HIM the credit for “your” accomplishments?
• Will you tell others about HIS kindness towards you?

What have you done for ME lately?

Revelation 3: ² Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. ³ Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.

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Remember when we used to lift some heavy weights we asked each other.  One friend responded “Yeah, I used to be a monster.”  I responded, “Yeah, but do you have any rehab exercises now, my shoulder hurts!” It seemed like our glory days are way in the past. I wonder if I feel like my best “service to the LORD” days are behind me too.

• Sometimes I look back on the things GOD had me do and I think I’m still doing them.
• Sometimes I try to remember how the SPIRIT moved me instead of letting the SPIRIT move me.
• Sometimes I reminisce on my glory days of serving the LORD and think HE can no longer use me.

“I remember when” are the words that came to mind when it came to looking at my service to the LORD.  I don’t mean “when is the last time I went to church” I mean when is the last time I had fire in me that just jumped out of me? When is the last time I couldn't hold my tongue and I could not help doing something bold for CHRIST?

Sadly my service had boiled down to mere rhetoric. What should I do?

• JESUS says “Wake up!” Stop looking at others and start looking inside.
• JESUS says “Strengthen what little remains” by loving others and serving boldly without feeling defeated!
• JESUS says “Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly” revisiting when I first began my walk with HIM and stop doubting HIS love!
• JESUS says “Repent and turn to ME again” and stop looking at the news and current circumstances and watch MY power!

In my mind I had become a superhero because of the things I had done in the past. This gave me license to judge others, BUT GOD asks me a difficult question; “Do you still love ME?” “Yes” I said sheepishly. “Then feed my lambs” HE says to me calmly wanting me to focus on HIM and not anything else.

• Are you feeling like you are barely holding on to the LORD?
• Do you feel like giving up?
• Are you living your life contrary to how GOD wants you to live?
• Can you turn to HIM today and recognize HE will always love you even until the end of this age?

I go to church so I must be pleasing GOD

James 2: ¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.

¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

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“Wow, this neighborhood sure is going downhill” I thought to myself.  The riff raff were steadily moving in and things were getting torn up and worn down. “I know what ‘they’ need… ‘They’ need to come to our revival.” We walked around and passed out hundreds of flyers to our event.

On the day of the event I could hear crickets chirping and see tumbleweed rolling down the street. In other words nobody came. Maybe we should give away hotdogs next time we thought.

• When I have an attitude that my church program is more important than the people I am serving I am blind.
• When I am not seeing spiritual growth from others around me then maybe I’m blind not them.
• When I am not part of the community and I see it as “them” then I am blind.

Communities see right through me. They can see my surface love and phony smile. They can also sense when I really want them to attend my program instead of loving them and meeting their need. They stand back and watch my shallow attempts to be holy and see that in reality I really don’t get along with a person I supposedly call my brother or sister.

• GOD wants me to have deeds that mean something to HIM.
• GOD wants me to have deeds that aren’t just going through the motions.
• GOD wants me to have deeds that meet the needs of those who are down no matter how different they are from me.

Please excuse my graphic words “my righteousness is like a used tampon.” Unless I make “them” “us” really quickly my actions are worthless.

• Have you been serving in church for a while and think “they” have a problem?
• Do you believe “they” won’t come to know the LORD because “they” are too far gone?
• Have you ever considered maybe you need to meet “them” at their base need to belong rather than giving them stuff as a surface attempt to serve?
• Won’t you reach out to understand “them” and try to make “them” “us” while remaining in the LORD?

I declare myself the winner!

2 Corinthians 10: ¹⁷ But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. 18 

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Sitting at the traffic light with my eyes fixed on the red, I prepared to hit the gas the moment the light changed. Of course the driver in the lane next to me didn’t even know they were in a race. Every once in a while my minivan full of people would run up against a person in a sports car who was aware of my tactics leaving me in a cloud of dust. I couldn’t declare myself the winner that time!

• When I think I am better than I am I fall on my face.
• When I believe I am better than other people reality brings me back down to earth.
• When I perceive my performance is better than it actually is then I open myself up for some harsh criticism.

I can rationalize myself to be better than “that” person or “those” people over there simply by setting a goal only I know or comparing myself to people who aren’t doing the things I’m doing. I hand pick my competition and wallop them without them knowing declaring myself “winner.” Then I boast about my achievement.

• GOD enjoys when I point people to HIM and not on my self-declared status.
• GOD loves when I point people to HIM and not on my self-declared accomplishments.
• GOD elates when I point people to HIM and not on my self-declared righteousness.

All that I accomplish needs to be credited to GOD. HE needs to be the one who says “well done my good and faithful servant” based on how I treat others. HE looks at my thoughts and attitude and can easily discern my motives. My bragging should be that GOD is the only one who is “good” and all I have achieved comes from HIM.

• Are you comparing yourself to someone?
• Are you busy looking at your accomplishments thinking you are “good” or “bad?”
• Can you stop comparing and just live for CHRIST at least for today?
• Won’t you brag about what GOD is doing for you instead of trying to be noticed?

I’m the “best” at being humble!

John 7: ¹⁸ Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.

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After winning a number of awards and honors I guess I became addicted to the accolades. I wanted another trophy, plaque or cup that symbolized I was performing above my peers so I deserved to be recognized. Soon my vocabulary turned into a constant progress report of what “I” was accomplishing. “I was good at that.” There I go again!

• When I seek the approval of humans instead of seeking GOD’s approval I fail.
• When I openly or covertly brag about my accomplishments instead of pointing to GOD I fail.
• When I try to please those who do not understand GOD’s ways I sin.

This is my theory, I believe there is a sin GOD despises more than any and that is “pride.” I’m not saying that I should not be proud of the accomplishments of others or in my workmanship rather, I should not be plodding through life trying to make “me” look so good. Instead of seeking “personal glory” I should be looking for something else.

• Personal glory can sometimes make me stretch the truth about me, GOD’s glory always show the “truth.”
• Personal glory can sometimes take the focus off of GOD and onto me; GOD’s glory always points others to HIM.
• Personal glory can sometimes blind me to the good others are doing, GOD’s glory makes me appreciate others.

Satan was also a good braggart. He was so good at what he did that he thought he could actually be GOD. There was no humility in him. GOD doesn’t want me to fall into that same trap. I should never think more highly of myself, rather praise the one who saved me, namely JESUS who is the CHRIST.

When I put the focus on HIS accomplishments, I can’t go wrong.

• Are you trying to be heard by the masses?
• Do you have a yearning to be recognized by your peers or superiors?
• Can you do what you do strictly for GOD without wanting human recognition?
• Will you honestly seek HIS ways instead of yours?

Is JESUS greater than me?

John 3: ³⁰ He must become greater; I must become less.”

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Tired of the club scene and finally coming to my senses, I went back to church and even became a Sunday school teacher. I spent hours the night before preparing my lesson.  I gave my message to the somewhat attentive teens.

Then I asked “how did I do?” One of them replied “You did very well, but I didn’t understand what you were talking about at all.” Wait! was that a bruise to my ego?

• In the past I have gone to church because that’s what my parents told me to do.
• In the past I prayed and thought to myself “Aren’t I just a good person? Look at me praying!”
• In the past I wanted to have a title in church or be part of some group.
• In the past I desired accolades from humans for all the great service “I” was doing.

I didn’t know I was bragging about my service but somehow my “good” nature would find its way into conversations. Someone may have said “Could you pass the milk?” and my reply would have been “Sure, I don’t drink dairy when I go on missions trips because I could get sick.”

GOD doesn’t need another person bragging about themselves, HE already has enough of those. In fact when I brag about my service, even inadvertently, I am secretly seeking all eyes on me. No wonder GOD wants me to give in secret, pray in secret and serve in secret.

GOD wants all eyes on the one and only SON, the savior of all mankind. It’s not about my job nor is it about my finances even though GOD is concerned about these things. It’s all about what JESUS has done for me. HE wants me to point my entire life, good and bad, toward HIM.

• I need to point people to praise GOD instead of looking at what I’m doing.
• I need to have others praise GOD especially when I am going through trials.
• I need to tell people to praise GOD because HE is much greater than me.

Awards and accolades are nice! I have received a lot of them throughout the years. But they pale in comparison to heavenly rewards GOD has for me. HE gives them to me when I truly do an act of humility specifically for HIM. GOD must come first in my life and everything else is secondary.

• Are you vying for attention by telling everyone your “pity” story?
• Are you accidentally bragging about your “service?”
• Can you serve GOD without being in front of the crowd for a change?
• Will you forget seeking “self-assurance” from humans for once and do something for GOD in secret?