Daily Bread_August 20, 2013

Title: It's Not About You

Text:

Romans 15:1-6 (ESV)
¹ We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
² Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
³ For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me."
⁴ For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
⁵ May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,
⁶ that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Observation:

The Apostle Paul makes the case that it is not about me; but, it is about God, and serving others. He quotes the Psalms to show Christ as being the ultimate example of this truth.

Psalm 69:9 (ESV)
⁹ For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

If we are to follow the example of Christ we must have a loving and patient concern for others. We do ourselves a favor, and bring glory to God when we serve others in the Spirit and love of Christ.

It would be an amazing sight to behold if God's people would follow in the steps of Jesus by serving others; making it less about us, and more about the Lord and others. I believe that this single thing would do more to reverse the decline of church membership than any other thing we could do; love is supreme should be our theme. Let's build others up.

"More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.

• More, more about Jesus,
  More, more about Jesus;
  More of His saving fullness see,
  More of His love who died for me."

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn.php/h/382#ixzz2cT6GF66V

Prayer:

Father God, my prayer for all of God's people is that it would less about me, and more about Jesus, and that we would share more of His love with others. Father, I thank You for the hope and the encouragement we get from the word of God. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

My blog: Sharing the Word of God Daily:

 http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/