Self-esteem comes through service!

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10, NIV)

What good works did God prepare in advance for you to do?

As mentioned in yesterday devotional, God led Julia and me to Hosanna Lutheran Church in Minneapolis on October 21, 2007 as guests of Larry and Annette Lotzer. Derek Rust, the preacher for that day and a good friend of the Lotzer’s, shared a super message about learning to serve like Jesus.

The following message comes from Derek’s outline for Week #4 of the “Be a Miracle series. While today’s message is short, it is packed with powerful truths.

Everybody is normal until you get to know them. Self- esteem comes through service. Personal giftedness and character need to go hand-in-hand.

1) Serving like Jesus means being available. Three barriers to being available are self-centeredness (Phillipians 2:4), busyness (Ecclesiastes 11:4), and materialism (Luke 16:13).

2) Serving like Jesus means being grateful (John 11:39-42). Barriers to being grateful include comparing, criticism, and wrong motives.

3) Serving like Jesus means being faithful. To serve Jesus, it’s important to know the difference between prominence and significance. (1 Cor 15:58)

4) Serving like Jesus means recognizing “God sightings.” Are there really such things as coincidences or are they really “God winks” in disguise?
 
Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to earth to die for me and my sins so that I might have eternal life and in return serve You. Guide my steps by keeping me available, grateful, and faithful. Grant me eyes to see and ears to hear You working around me throughout each day. Bless my readers likewise. Thank You Jesus. Amen.
 
Link of the Day
Hosanna Lutheran Church [www.hosannalc.org]

Blessings to do the good works which God prepared in advance for you to do!