Matthew 20: 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

how often do we really recognize that we were created in Christ to serve others? usually we think of what someone could or should be doing for us... if we would really grasp the idea that we are servants rather than rulers.. that we don't 'deserve' anything or aren't 'owed' anything from anyone... and become true givers... true servants to all that we meet... how much would that change our lives and our attitudes.. but in addition to that... how much would it change the atmosphere of where we are and who we are around.... surely there will be a few that will take advantage.. but that would be between them and God to deal with.. for the most part I think it would make us so much more respected and loved by everyone we encounter... 

this is my new year's new me.. to live the life of a servant to Christ and to man... to everyone I encounter! dear Jesus: please lead me in this change, enable me to become this new person... strengthen me to do it with the right attitude and actions.. amen!

Luke 16: 15 Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.

what the world honors is detestable in the sight of God... so this stands to reason that what God finds honorable... man finds detestable... 

we are often disliked or shunned by people who think they are more than others... if this is the case.. then I would say be glad.. because then you have a chance to be found honorable in the sight of God... 

Matthew 1: 18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,[i] for he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23  “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

so I think we too often forget that these are real people like you and me... so Joseph has a dream and in the dream an angel tells him that mary didn't sleep with another man... AND HE BELIEVES IT... now... I will tell you and you ask yourself.. how many times has God said something to you and as time goes on.. you talk yourself out of it.. and think of all the reasons that it won't work and it couldn't have been God that said it in the beginning... 

that is the real difference between us and the people in the bible... when they heard God... they really believed Him and got up and did just what He said...

Luke 2: 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.

I was thinking.. what if the angel came to mary LONG before she became pregnant with the Son of God... what if she had to hold on to these things for a long time before they actually came to pass... and she was in the dark like we so often are.... 

and here she is.. pondering these things in her heart.. that is how she kept them alive.... that is how she waited on God.. by thinking about all that she believed He had said to her... 

many of us would have decided we didn't really hear from God... and let it go... many of us would have decided we didn't even want it.. and let it go... and throughout the bible... mary goes back and forth with acting like Jesus is God's Son.. to acting like He is the same as any other child or son.. sometimes she wants Him to turn water into wine.. other times she can't understand how He knows so much about God... His brother's were the same way... they wanted His gifts used to their advantage.. yet they said things to signify that He was just another man... and who did He think He is... 

I think we will all have times when we are so on board with what God has said to us.. and others that we feel like we must have just been taking too much pride in ourselves and surely God would not have said something so large or so important to lowly us... 

but if we keep things alive.. by pondering them in our hearts.. when the time is right... God will bring them all to pass... because He is faithful and He is a God who does not lie... 

1 John 2: 15-16 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

 

I have the verse of the day from biblegateway sent to my email every day and I read it before I ever get out of bed.. this one really struck me...

 

I wouldn't have thought that everything physical that we crave... like for me the jewelry and clothes and shoes... I wouldn't have thought those to be 'worldly'.. of course I didn't think they were spiritual... I just didn't consider them necessarily worldly either...

 

people put so much pride in achievements... and titles.. now that isn't one of my issues.. but I do see many people having it... even godly people... look how upset people get when you remove them from a position... or they don't get the position they wanted... that too is worldly.... my first instinct is to say I can see that one easier because I don't struggle with it.. LOL! but in truth.. I wouldn't have thought that wanting to have a title or position was 'worldly' either...

 

now the reason I say I don't see these things as worldly is because if they are worldly.. in my mind they cannot be okay with God.. because either we are of this world.. or we are of the kingdom mind.. we are to live in this world but not be of it....

 

just when we think we are getting it together.. the bible shows you something else!! and I am thankful for that!