Serving

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Your Personality Reveals Purpose

A way to determine how you can serve others is to ask yourself such questions as: What do I really enjoy doing most? When do I feel the most fully alive? What am I doing when I lose track of time? Do I like routine or variety? Do I prefer serving with a team or by myself? Am I more introverted or extroverted? Am I more a thinker or a feeler? Which do I enjoy more – competing or cooperating?

Examine your experiences and extract the lessons you’ve learned. Review your life and think about how it has shaped you.

Forgotten experiences are worthless; that’s a good reason to keep a spiritual journal. In the Bible, the Apostle Paul worried that the believers in Galatia would waste the pain they had been through. He said, “Were all your experiences wasted? I hope not!” (Galatians 3:4 NCV)

We rarely see God’s good purpose in pain or failure or embarrassment while it is happening. Only in hindsight do we understand how God intended a problem for good.

Extracting the lessons from your experiences takes time, but it can be for your benefit and the benefit of others. I recommend that you take an entire weekend for a life review retreat, where you pause to see how God has worked in the various defining moments of your life and consider how He wants to use those lessons to help others.  This may provide clear direction on the way you can minister to, volunteer, or work with others.

Taken from Pastor Rick Warren’s Daily Devotion

#serving #purpose

 

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In Everyday Life, Serve With What You Have

A portion of this encouragement is taken from Pastor Rick Warren’s Daily Devotional

Are  you a servant?  Not in a paid since but do you feel that you have a servant’s heart, one that cherishes in sincerity coming to the aid of another in some small or significant manner?  If so, never EVER assume that you are not making a difference, for Pastor Rick Warren shares that servants do their best with what they have.  Per him, “Servants don’t make excuses, procrastinate, or wait for better circumstances. Servants never say, “One of these days ” or “When the time is right .” They just do what needs to be done.”

Beloved, as far as God is concerned, He expects you to do what you can, with what you have, wherever you are.  Some people do not serve or give unto others because they fear they are not good enough to serve or they cannot give enough of themselves to make a difference.  I’d like to challenge you on that.  From a pleasant greeter in a store or church to a postman that smiles as s/he delivers the mail to a team leader or CEO who has lunch delivered for their team members, all are examples of service, of acts of kindness, and they stretch from the seemingly insignificant to the obviously appreciated.  You don’t have to have celebrity status to serve in your church, your community, or have a title to noticeably deliver a servant’s attitude at work; you simply need to have the mindset and the heart.  Here’s a cheerful salute to a sincere and genuine heart in all that you do.  Tootles!

#serving #living #fromtheheart

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“Helping Others” Prayer

Below is a prayer regarding the concept of helping others.  Kudos to the author of this prayer at Koinonia Christian Center in Greenville, NC! – http://www.kccfamily.com

“Father, in the name of Jesus, I will do unto others as I would have them do unto me.  I eagerly pursue and seek to help and serve others.  I am intentional in my desire to express Your nature.  I will esteem and look upon and be concerned for not just my own interests, but also for the interests of others.  I want to be a part of my church’s effort to offer life changing ministry to everyone.  I will, on purpose, make it a practice to help my neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify, strengthen, and build him up spiritually, socially, and materially.  I will love my enemies.  I will be kind and do good knowing that You fight my battles.  I am merciful, sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate, even as my Father is, for I am an imitator of Christ.  Therefore, I walk in real love and service towards my fellow man.  In Jesus’ name, Amen!  (Luke 6:27 & 31; Philippians 2:4; Romans 15:2)”

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Also, my church is hosting a prayer campaign during October 2016.  Via a conference call, we meet every morning at 6:33 a.m. for prayer led by one person.  It lasts approximately 15-20 minutes and is a brief lesson or what I like to call “wisdom tips” for followers of Christ, a note of encouragement, and prayer.  We also have prayers for the month; the above is one of them.  Join us on the call.  Tootles!

Phone no. for live call:  1.712.775.7031 // Meeting ID:  435-786-492

Phone no. for recording of live call:  1.712.775.7029 // Meeting ID:  435-786-492

http://www.kccfamily.com

#serving #prayer