service | Revelations From The Road

The Lord Has Need Of It

December 31, 2014 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given December 30, 2014

While reading my daily Bible passage about the last days of Jesus, the part about preparing the upper room for the last supper brought a thought to my mind. Luke 22:10-12 tells us, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.” Jesus had a need and He had apparently prepared people ahead of time to meet that need. The man with the jar of water, the owner of the house, and his disciples were all a part of the plan. The Lord’s need was fulfilled by others. Almost immediately, other Bible passages came to my mind about similar circumstances where the Lord had a need.

Jesus was planning His final trip to Jerusalem which we know as, “The Triumphal Entry” and He needed a donkey to ride in on. “Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” (Matthew 21:1-3). The Lord needs them. The owner of the animals readily gave them to the Lord because He needed them.

Another time, Jesus was ministering to a large crowd on a hillside and His disciples were concerned that the people were getting hungry and needed to go get something to eat. Jesus told them to give the people something to eat and they complained that it would take half a year’s wages to feed so many. I can imagine Jesus saying something like, “OK then what do we have?” “Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:8-9). Jesus had a need and a boy in the crowd offered his lunch. In Jesus’ hands, that small lunch fed around 15,000 people that day.

A home owner, a donkey owner and a boy with a lunch, they all had something the Lord needed and were willing to give it up for His use. Great things were accomplished as a result. Yes, Jesus could have miraculously created an upper room, a donkey or food for thousands but He wanted to use what was already there; to involve people in His plans. The Bible doesn’t say but I can imagine that those who gave were truly blessed. My question is this: What do we have that the Lord has need of? If the Lord directly asked you for something you had, would you give it? Of course you would. But what if someone else came and asked for something saying, “The Lord has need of it.” What would your response be? Do we hear His request when the offering plate comes by or when we hear of a benevolent need in our community? “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.‘”(Matthew 25:40).

In the coming year, let’s be more aware of the needs around us and be willing to offer our time, expertise, or money to help meet those needs. The Lord needs it and we have it. Offer it for His use and see what happens.

Do Something for the Lord

September 22, 2013 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given October 2010

Do you love the Lord? Usually when you love someone, you want to do things for them. So, what can we do for the Lord? He has certainly done and continues to do so much for us! One thing is to do what He says: “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15). He has commanded lots of things in His Word so we need to find out what those things are, (read your Bible), then do what it says, “Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only…” (James 1:22).

Now, God doesn’t need His house fixed, He doesn’t need money, food, or clothes. He doesn’t need encouraging, consoling, or advising. God doesn’t need us to visit Him in the hospital…do you see where this going? So how can we do something nice for the Lord? Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” (Matthew 25:40). So if we do these kinds of things for God’s people, we’re doing them for Him. He takes it personally.

On the other hand, He also takes it personally when we harm one of his children. Remember what He said to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus? “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 26:14). Saul¸ (later, the apostle Paul), had been traveling around arresting and killing Christians and Jesus likened that to doing it to Him. He takes it personally. As parents, we know if you do something bad to our kids, you’re doing it to us too. And if someone does something nice for our kids, we like it. Father God is the same way.
So, how can we do something for the Lord? We can buy the Lord lunch today, we can pay His light bill, visit Him in the hospital; we can encourage or console Him. We can minister to His body by helping other parts of the Body; our fellow Christians. Look around you and see which one of God’s children needs help. Or maybe they don’t need help but you could just do something nice for them. God takes it personally. Let’s do something for the Lord today.

How Can I Serve You Today?

September 14, 2013 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given 1995

As I come into your presence, to worship and to praise, I realize the price you had to pay. And I know, Lord, I’m not worthy, yet you choose to work through me. So I ask, how can I serve you today?

And He says…The lady at the checkout will need a smile today. Her little girl is sick and her best friend moved away. And the boy who bags your groceries thinks he cannot cope. His father drinks and beats his mom; he needs some words of hope.

But Lord, don’t you need preaching to bring the unsaved in? Or mighty signs and wonders to save them from their sin? He says, Yes, I need those things and I know you want to please. But your servant’s job today is unto the least of these.

That old man down the street needs a gentle touch. He lost his wife last year and he misses her so much. And don’t forget the homeless man; you pass by him each day. He’s dirty and he curses but I love him anyway.

I see your plan for me, Lord, for this place and time. To share the love of Jesus and let my witness shine. To look at your creation, Lord, and see them as you do. Knowing that by serving them, I’ll be serving You.

The Messenger

January 25, 2013 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given January 19, 2013

Today, I want to take this space to recognize the peoplewho are called to be the messengers to our congregations. “He (God) also gave apostles, prophets, missionaries, as well as pastors and teachers as gifts to his church. Their purpose is to prepare God’s people to serve and to build up the body of Christ. This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard.” (Ephesians 4:11-13). Our Pastors were called to be the Spiritual leaders, the messengers to the body of Christ, to teach us to be ministers to others as we “grow up” in Christ and become as close as we can and want to be to Jesus. God gave our pastors the vision of what He wanted in our communities and continues to give them direction and messages to share with us each week. The purpose of these is to establish God’s will in our area. Remember the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”? (Matthew 6:10). Our pastors, in all that they do, are fulfilling their assignments for this time and for this place.

Preaching and singing is not all they do; there’s more to the calling than that. They counsel people, visit the sick, pray, study, manage the building and property, schedules, clean, paint, work, partner with other ministers, oversee the finances, and whatever else God directs them to do. Of course pastors do not usually do this alone; they have helpers who assist in the ministry under their direction. But it’s not always smooth sailing. Pastors often faces challenges, setbacks, and disappointments as any other leader would but they seek the counsel of God and act accordingly. Everyone may not agree with everything that goes on in your church but your pastor Wayne is God’s chosen servant and they’re following God’s lead. And God will not go against His Word. “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7).

Seven Levels Of Servanthood – An Update

August 6, 2012 by Bill Leave a Comment

I pray every day to be a servant of the Lord. I say, “Lord, how may I serve you today?”, and He’ll usually give me some task to do or a person to encourage. As I was praying this day, the Lord showed me that there are levels of servanthood which opened my eyes to my service. I hope it will be enlightening to you as well.

The first level of servanthood is to make the decision that you WANT to be a servant. You cannot serve unless you decide to. The second level is what I call, a day worker. These servants report to the Master each day and ask “Where do I go and what do you want me to do today”? No routine, no regularity, just show up willing to do the Master’s bidding.

The third level comes when the Master says, “Servant, I notice you are here every day willing to go and do whatever I ask. Today and from now on, I want you to report to the barn. I have some daily tasks I want you to do out there.” This will be some hard work but there is regularity with it. The fourth level may come later when the Master again says, “Son, I see how you come to serve each day, you work well and even stay late sometime. Beginning tomorrow, I want you to come serve as a house servant with the rest of the staff. Report to the Master’s house tomorrow.” This is a good promotion and the work is steady, you have a uniform and you’re working inside in a clean environment.

Level five comes when the servant does such an impressive job with the house staff that the Master asks him to be his personal servant. He will now move upstairs and be at the beck and call of the Master. Level six comes when the Master is scheduled to attend an important function but is unable to go. The servant has gained the trust and respect of the Master and he says, “Servant, I cannot attend this event next week and I want you to go as my representative.” “You have proven yourself in my service and you will have the same authority I would have at this event.” The servant goes and represents the Master well, the Master is pleased. The last level comes the next day when the Master calls his servant in and says, “We didn’t have enough day workers show up this morning and I need you to go down there and work today.” The servant says, “Whatever you need Master, I will go.”

I think these levels of servanthood come with being tested and proven for the work of the Kingdom. I want to be tested and proven to move from glory to glory and have the favor of the Master who says, “…If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all. Mark 9: 35b“. It seems like I spend a lot of time as a day worker. But that’s OK. As long as I get to serve my Master. What kind of servant are you?