Praying for America

SERVING GOD

February 1 PROMISES TO SERVANTS THE TEMPLE OF GOD Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 I’ve read and heard this scripture since childhood, usually associating it with our responsibility to care for our own body, since it is “God’s temple.” While it is true that we should respect our body as the temple of God (rather than building on some “fat rooms” to it, etc!), I’m seeing the promise aspect of the passage. We don’t just have a temple, which we are to care for; we get to be a temple—a holy place where God’s Spirit dwells. This also places a different slant on some other aspects of our humanity—worldly wisdom, for instance. It’s nothing, to God! We could pile all of human intelligence together and not make it to the first rung of God’s wisdom. Pretentiousness and pride in our own knowledge only keeps us dumb. Humility of the mind before the Creator of the universe opens up a holy place which He is willing to fill with His wisdom. Then there’s this aspect which eliminates the need for competition or rivalry: “All things are yours,” he says, again and again. No need to boast about our association with spiritual great’s—they belong to everyone. We are not in competition with fellow servants because all of us have all of Him—and along with Him, all things! All things are ours: Paul is ours, Apollos, Cephas, are ours. The world is ours. Life is ours. Death is ours. The present is ours. The future is ours. It’s all ours, and we are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. Worldly wisdom? It’s nothing compared to what God has for us. Competition? No need to prove anything—it’s all ours, anyway. We are God’s temple, with nothing to prove. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 2 GO AND TELL MY BROTHERS But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Matthew 28:5-8 It’s always amused me how many Christians treat Easter much like Groundhog’s Day—Once a year Jesus comes out of the grave, and “He is risen!”—the rest of the year He goes back in the tomb, I guess! Anyway, some Christians make a big deal out of Easter, but act as if Jesus were dead, the rest of the year! The Resurrection isn’t Groundhog’s Day, it’s forever! I love the accounts of God’s resurrection power! The angels, the Risen Lord, the earthquake and the resurrection of the saints... I love it! What a God! And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” (Matt 28:9-10) Go and tell my whom? The angel calls them “his disciples;” Jesus calls them “my brothers.” The men who ran off into the night, three days ago?! That would be them. “My brothers.” God’s servants aren’t a bunch of peons who have no say in anything. They aren’t worker bees who are expendable nothing’s when it comes to His Kingdom. Jesus’ disciples are, to Him, His brothers. Totally amazing! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 3 THOU MY GREAT FATHER, I THY TRUE SON I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4:1-7 God didn’t want us to miss it, so here it is, again—the promise of son-ship. And because of the nature of adoption, we are “all the way in”! We’re not foster-children, in the keeping of the Lord until we’re grown up; we’re not orphans for which He is caring; we’re true sons, like it says in the great, ancient hymn, “Be Thou My Vision”: “Thou my great Father, I Thy true son, Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one.” We are true heirs. Money is no longer a problem. Neither is lack of anything else! Why? We are sons! This is not just the Creator of the universe we’re addressing, this is “Abba”—Daddy! To live like a son of God who is serving his Father—I think that’s where all of this is going. Like Jesus, we are to be a son who serves, because there is no one we would rather please than our loving Father. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 4 BORN INTO GOD’S FAMILY "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12-13 I think it’s important to realize how we get into God’s family. We don’t work our way in. We don’t just become smart enough that we get in. It’s not a matter of trying hard enough, or persevering in our efforts, and then we make it. No, this is how we get in to God’s family: We’re born into God’s family! Luck of the draw? No, it’s whoever receives Him, whoever believes in His name. That’s all it takes, and you’re in, forever! What a deal! Why is it, then, that we linger on the fringe of the family, sometimes resenting those who seem to be closer to the Father, envying the gifts and talents of others? Why do we persist in acting like people with something to prove? As if, in our pursuit of worthy service to God, we would finally achieve enough significance through our contributions to His Kingdom that we would at last deserve the recognition befitting a true family member! We’re already in! We’ve been invited in, we’ve been adopted. We’re not foster children, and we’re not boarders, working to earn our keep. We are family members, the same as anyone else born into a family. We’ve been born of God—that makes us God’s children. We might be lazy children, or we might be obedient, industrious children, but our performance isn’t what determines our family status. How did we become members of God’s family? We were born of God. We’re as “in” as we’re ever going to be! We might as well live like it. Rather than working to try to deserve this position (which we already possess and which is impossible to earn, anyway), how about if we work because it pleases our Father? Interestingly enough, our greatest sense of purpose and fulfillment comes when we do the things we know will please Him, for simply that reason: To please Him. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 5 IMITATORS OF GOD “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” Ephesians 5:1 It’s a little weird in our house. Our seven-year-old is singing the Cocoa Wheats commercial by heart, although he has never seen the commercial, nor a Cocoa Wheat. Where did he get it? Dad. That’s the same place he got many of the other silly songs, stories and jokes that he loves so much. Someone told us the other day that he has my mannerisms. They’ve always told us that he looks like me. We receive both as great compliments, since he’s adopted! It’s not uncommon at all to hear him recite something verbatim that I might have just said in passing. What’s the line? “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”? He even imitates the not-so-good stuff, which can be embarrassing, since I know where he got that, too. But what a wonderful thing it is to have a family, especially one where there are people who want to be like you! And so it is with God. We are beloved children, and I don’t know if there is anything which pleases that Father’s heart more than when His children imitate Him. The world really, really needs to see people who are singing the songs they learned from the Father, quoting lines they heard from Him, picking up His habits and His heart. When the world sees us imitate God, how are they going to stay away from the Father any longer? They aren’t. They will want what they see, because it’s real, and it represents the most wonderful relationship possible—an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father. We’re not just a bunch of servants, sitting around waiting for orders. We are God’s children, who mimic Him just because we want to be like Him. What trait of God would He have me to imitate? (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 6 CHILDREN OF LIGHT “...Walk as children of light...” Ephesians 5:8 I’m glad that it says “children of light,” instead of “servants of light.” It just sounds so much better, so much more exciting and attractive. It’s much more personal. That’s not how we said it was supposed to be; that’s how God said it’s supposed to be! Children of light. What is it to walk as “children of light”? Ephesians 5 gives a number of practical instructions regarding how to disassociate ourselves from the darkness, and to identify with the light: We are not only to abstain from sexual immorality, impurity and covetousness; we are not to even talk about it! Our conversation is to focus on thanksgiving, and on giving praise to God through music, rather than on coarse language or crude joking. One of the best indicators of our heart’s condition will always be in our speech. This is why the Bible says it is shameful even to speak of the various works of darkness. When we focus on the darkness, it is going to bring spiritual harm to us. We are to concentrate on the light. “For the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.” (Eph 5:9) This is where our focus should be, on what is clearly light, rather than what is questionable. God wants us to be thinking of how we can please Him, and how we can represent Him. He has given us His name, He has made us His own—now He expects us to act like His children! When a wise parent is nagged by their children regarding one of those many issues where “everybody else is doing it,” the proper response is usually, “You’re not ‘everybody else.’ They’re not part of our family, but you are, and this is how we act.” I think God is telling His children, “You’re not part of the darkness. You are my child, which makes you a child of light. Act like it.” (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 7 BONAFIDE FAMILY MEMBERS For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility; not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:14-23 As an adoptive parent, I am no longer a stranger to the concepts and feelings which accompany adoption. One of the startling realizations is how an adopted child becomes your own, in every sense of the word. They are not “like your own child;” they are your own child! They are all the way in! This is one of many reasons why it’s so exciting to become a part of God’s family—we get to actually, truly become a part of it, rather than being a guest, or a servant on probation. We’re all the way in! Part of being a bonafide member in a family is that the sufferings and blessings and work are all shared. Real family members are included, when it comes to both pain and pleasure; meanwhile, guests are politely excluded from the hardships, expectations and the inheritance (particularly the inheritance). When we belong to a family, we get it all! When we belong to God’s family, we are genuinely included. What a privilege! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 8 INESCAPABLE LOVE “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised----who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:26-39 It’s hard to add anything to Romans 8 without feeling that I’m wrecking it! Here are reminders of everything we need: protection, security, destiny, the reminder that there is nothing which can separate us from God’s love; the reminder that everything works together for good for those who love Him; the picture of Jesus, “firstborn among many brothers” (another reminder of our standing with God), personally interceding for us in heaven’s throne room. What else could we want?! Then there is the reminder that if we did need anything beyond what we already have, the God who gave His only Son for us would certainly not withhold it. We have it all! Absolutely everything we need is provided for us, through God’s grace! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 9 GOD’S FELLOW WORKER “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:5-15 As a kid, one of my regularly assigned tasks on our farm was to scoop into an open trailer a load of ear corn, to provide feed for our cattle. It was a tedious, sometimes discouraging process, and I recall wasting a great deal of time examining my progress, to see if I could consider the job done, yet. On several occasions, I squandered even more time, spreading the corn around in the trailer in a vain attempt to make it look like more than was actually there. It neither fooled nor pleased my Dad, when he arrived on the scene! The last time I tried that stunt, he came and found me at the house, marched me out to the corn crib, and we proceeded together to fill that trailer to overflowing! Thanks, Dad. That was the day I learned to work. This passage in Corinthians makes me think of that story. My Heavenly Father desires that I would learn to work, just as my earthly father did. I am God’s “fellow worker,” just as I was my father’s fellow worker, side by side in the corn crib, scooping grain into a trailer. Trying to fluff my accomplishments is a waste of time! One glance from the Father reveals everything. Meanwhile, He’s teaching me to work, much as my Dad did: “Match me. Do what I do.” Whatever I do with the Father will last, and will need no embellishment to show its true worth. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 10 AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 Corinthians 5:17-6:1 “Working together with him”—doing what? Our mission is one of reconciliation, imploring people to be reconciled to God, just as we have been. As a new creation, reconciled to God through the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins, we are commissioned as “ambassadors for Christ.” What does an ambassador do? He represents the good will of the one who sent him. He speaks not on his own, but with official authority representing a sovereign nation or leader. He is not responsible for formulating policies or taking positions; only communicating them. An ambassador’s mission is to be the next best thing to having the president or leader there in person. Whatever he says or does is a reflection upon the one he represents. So, too, with “ambassadors for Christ.” We are commissioned as representatives of His favor toward those who have been distanced from Him. We are to love people as Christ loves them. We are to attempt to reconcile people to God by letting them know and see that God loves them, through our actions on His behalf. We are responsible to communicate the Gospel, without altering it to fit our personal whims. We are to so accurately reflect our Master that people are drawn toward the One who sent us. Christ’s ambassadors should always make people think better of Christ. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 11 OUR HERITAGE CLEARLY DEFINED So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. Galatians 3:24-29 Once again, our heritage is clearly defined. We are sons and daughters of God, through faith. We are “heirs according to promise.” We are “one in Christ Jesus.” How did we get into this kind of standing and relationship? By faith, when we trusted in Christ. When we were baptized, we were “baptized into Christ.” We became a part of Him. We became one with Him. “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” In putting on Christ, we receive His heritage as our own, and become heirs along with Him, and sons and daughters of God along with Him. Sons and daughters of God, heirs along with Jesus—this is so much different than being mere servants, hanging around the Kingdom! Yes, we are to be faithful servants, but we are servants who belong to the family of God. We are genuine children of God, adopted all the way into His family. No one has a better heritage than the person, Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free, who has been baptized into Christ. We have been grafted into the greatest family of all! In putting on Christ Jesus, not only does His righteousness become ours; so does His heritage. Hard to accept? Yes. But that’s what it says! “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” We might as well enjoy it! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 12 HOW DO I GET INTO THIS FAMILY? And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:1-10 How do I get into this family? By grace. Period. We don’t get into God’s family by our hard work, our dedication to the cause, our intelligence, our ability, our perseverance, our attractiveness; we get in by grace, just pure grace. We’re offered a seat in glory not because we earned it, but because God desired to give it to us! Our God is rich in mercy. He deigned to show that mercy to us through Christ Jesus, in kindness beyond measure. We are not “byproducts of conception,” with value assigned to us according to the whims of society; we are God’s workmanship, “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” “If I work hard enough, maybe I’ll become valuable....” No. We already possess a value God has placed upon us which has nothing to do with our works, and which could never be attained through them, anyway. Our God and Creator invites us to take a seat in the family, where every member got in the same way we did—by grace. The works? That’s not the entrance fee; that’s part of the reward! Good works, individually prepared, perfectly suited to us, by a Father infinitely rich in grace. Yes! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 13 WILLING TO ACCEPT REINSTATEMENT “And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.” Luke 15:20-24 How much of my trouble is caused by refusing to accept son-ship? The prodigal son felt unworthy of being reinstated into the family, and came back with the intention of just trying to establish a working relationship with his father. The father insisted on reinstating him as a son—no probation period, no groveling—get the robe and the ring, prepare the feast! What if the son had listened to his jeering older brother, and rejected his son-ship, refusing to live as a son of his father? He could have spent his days in misery, remembering his pitiful past, longing for the way it used to be, unable to enjoy any of the privileges of his restored heritage because of the undying guilt of his sin. And what good would it have done anyone?! That kind of attitude would have pleased only the enemy of his soul, who lured him away from home in the first place, and fed the judgmental carnality of his older brother, a problem in its own right. What does God wish us to do? First of all, like the prodigal son, come to our senses and head home. But when we’ve come before our Father, He wants us to accept the forgiveness and the restored relationship He offers, and live as sons! Obviously, not perfect sons, but not groveling or morose ones, either. How much of my trouble is caused by refusing to accept son-ship? How much envy, regret, worry and discouragement residing in my life is absolutely needless? The answer is: “All of it.” I am a son of God. I can either accept that, or choose to live otherwise, but it’s a fact. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 14 NOTHING ELSE COUNTS If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13 It’s easy to forget that service without love is not really service. Without love, our service doesn’t even count! Nor does our great knowledge, our faith or our sacrifice. The component of love is so crucial that its absence negates all our good deeds, and we gain nothing. The other stuff is all going to vanish: prophecies, tongues, knowledge; love will last. What this is saying to me is that if love isn’t at the forefront, nothing else counts—not my sacrifice, my learning, my hard work—if love isn’t the motivating force, none of it counts for anything. It’s also a reminder that when I have love, it doesn’t stay as some sort of gushy emotion, but will be evidenced in these different ways. Love will produce sacrifice; love will spawn heroic deeds as well as thoughtful everyday service; it’s love which causes me to stretch my faith to the breaking point out of compassion for others, when it would be easier to let go. It’s love that causes me to remain in the relationship and seek patience rather than escape, and to desire to grow in patience, rather than being comfortable in my habitual irritability. When love is at the center, all kinds of good things spring from it. If it’s missing, nothing else counts. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 15 A SON WHO SERVES—JOYFULLY! Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6 Son, servant or brother? It’s clear. You don’t adopt servants, you adopt sons and daughters. The inheritance doesn’t go to servants, it goes to sons and daughters. God calls us His children; Jesus calls us His brothers (and sisters). We’re in! We are all the way in! By virtue of the blood of Jesus, we belong to the family of God. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.” (Ro 8:18-19) And who would those sons be? I am one of them! Who am I? I’m a SON OF THE FATHER. I’m a BROTHER OF JESUS. Am I a SERVANT OF GOD? Yes, but I am serving, not to try to gain a place in the Kingdom, but because I love my Father, and I want to please Him. That is also why I serve others—He told me that the best way I can demonstrate my love for Him is by serving other people in His name. I’m “helping Dad.” It’s not because He really needs my help, or couldn’t do these things without me; it’s because He wants me to grow up and be just like Him. That’s why I am: A SON WHO SERVES—JOYFULLY! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 16 THE FIRST JOB OF A SERVANT—PAY ATTENTION Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3 From this point on, whenever I talk about a “servant of God,” what I’m really talking about is a “son (or daughter) of God,” who is serving Him. Since “servant” is such a good title, one preferred by apostles and even Jesus’ brothers, we’ll continue to use it, in the satisfying knowledge that we are much more than slaves or hired help; we are bonafide members of God’s family, who serve Him out of love. Back to the principle question of this study: How do we best serve God? We’ll spend the next several weeks focusing on three “jobs” of a servant, which come through in scripture, often. Abram’s call (which I believe was an extension of the call to Abram’s father, Terah) mostly consisted of, “Are you willing to leave behind your old life and follow me?” He did. The rest is history. Whether it’s Noah, Abram, or whomever, God first of all just looks for those who will listen to Him and who are willing to follow and obey. Maybe the first job of a servant is to be paying attention. There are few things more frustrating than a servant who is not paying attention, or one you have to go and find, before you can get them to do anything. Ask my Dad. Other frustrations include having to repeat things because the servant wasn’t paying attention the first time you told them, or worse yet, having them tell you they understand when they really still don’t have a clue. And if they have their own agenda all planned out and pay no heed to yours, they may have pretty good ideas, but they shouldn’t refer to themselves as “servants”—“entrepreneurs for God,” maybe? I think I’m close to the mark when I say that the first job of a servant is to pay attention. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 17 THE FIRST JOB OF A SERVANT—PAY ATTENTION IN ORDER TO HELP, YOU MUST BE AVAILABLE "If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him." John 12:26 I remember "helping Dad," on the farm. Sometimes there wasn't that much a young kid could do, to help. But if I wasn't around, and he had to go look for me in order to get me to do some small thing, I wasn't helping him much! It was easier and faster for him to just do it, himself, than it was to hunt down his “helper.” Being available was actually the most valuable part of my service. I wasn’t very proficient at most things, yet, but if I was there, I could at least be of some assistance. In other words, I was better than no help at all. Usually. Jesus always used the same phrase when calling disciples. He didn’t give them a grandiose strategy for magnificent deeds to be done in His name–at least not at first. They didn’t even get a specific assignment, to start out with. All they got was, “Follow me.” Not even the destination was included in the admonition. “Follow you where?” He didn’t tell them. He’s still not telling. It’s just “Follow me.” That’s always the first order, for a would-be disciple. "If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him." It’s nice to know that it comes with a promise of honor and reward, but it comes back to this: Serving the Father starts with just following Him, hanging around, staying close, being available. The first job of a servant is to pay attention. You can’t pay attention if you’re not there. “Follow me.” (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 18 THE FIRST JOB OF A SERVANT—PAY ATTENTION ABIDE IN ME “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” John 15:4-8 Regardless of how good the branch might look, apart from the vine it produces nothing. In order to be productive, we must abide in the Vine. When I think of “abiding,” I think of my old bird-dog, Brownie, who used to roam the fields with me in pursuit of game birds. The first few times out, I didn’t get any pheasants, because I couldn’t get close to any! Brownie, aspiring hunting dog that she was, could be seen off on the horizon, barking madly and flushing out whatever birds were in the country, then coming back to receive praise from her master for doing her job. I had a hard time convincing Brownie that unless she would “abide” with me—stay close to me without running off on her own—neither one of us was going to get anything! No abide? No pheasants! When she finally got the idea, our hunting success improved dramatically! The key was “abiding.” That’s the key when it comes to being a fruitful disciple, too. Jesus makes it clear: No abide? No fruit! “Apart from me, you can do nothing.” Meanwhile, if we do abide, we can’t help but be fruitful. The only thing that results in spiritual fruit is abiding in Christ. Like a disconnected branch, an unplugged electrical tool, or a bird dog in the next county, so is the disciple who doesn’t abide in the Master. There is no positive result unless there is a positive, continuing connection. Jesus calls it “abiding.” Without it, we can forget about fruit. Or pheasants. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 19 THE FIRST JOB OF A SERVANT—PAY ATTENTION YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT HE MIGHT TELL YOU “For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7 Amos, reluctant prophet, is also apparently the first of the writing prophets. The message he is given to deliver is not only difficult, but comes during a time of prosperity, which must have made it even less palatable. Who wants to be a voice of doom during boom times? But for Amos, like all true prophets, prophecy has little to do with choice. It’s clear that he neither aspired to be a prophet in the first place, nor made up his own agenda. This was only about faithfully communicating God’s word to people, regardless of its popularity. True prophets say what God tells them, without distorting the message in any way. That’s why they are called “servants”—they do what their Master tells them to do, even when it’s hard, which it usually is. God counts the prophets as His servants because they’re paying attention to Him and He can count on them to deliver His message. God has chosen His faithful prophets to be His “early warning system” for Earth’s inhabitants. God doesn’t have to tell anyone anything, but because of His mercy and love, He tells His secret to His servants the prophets. It’s up to us to either receive their words as coming from God, or reject them, but we can’t say we haven’t been told! And, like Amos, when it’s our turn to give others instructions or an admonition we received from God, we may be a reluctant prophet, but we need to be a faithful one. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 20 THE FIRST JOB OF A SERVANT—PAY ATTENTION SPEAK, LORD, FOR YOUR SERVANT HEARS And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the young man. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 1 Samuel 3:8-10 Eli does at least know what to tell Samuel, when God calls him the third time: “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.” Such an appropriate response for a servant. Sure enough, for the fourth time that night, the young man hears God calling his name. His response indicates he is paying attention. The message Samuel receives, though, is an unnerving one, especially for a first-timer! It’s all about Eli’s wicked sons and God’s judgment on the house of Eli, “because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them.” No wonder Samuel wanted to not tell Eli! Though the first time was difficult, this is not the last time Samuel hears from God, but the first of many. He will soon become the established prophet of Israel, although in a junior capacity. Never again when he hears the voice of God will Samuel mistake it for another. He knows God’s voice. It starts with paying attention, and hearing from God. When you’ve heard from God, you’re qualified! Even if you’re just a kid. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 21 THE FIRST JOB OF A SERVANT—PAY ATTENTION SADD SAUL He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering.. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and to greet him. Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the LORD your God, with which he commanded you. For then the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” 1 Samuel 13:8-14 King Saul was ADD. At least when it came to staying focused on spiritual things or obeying God, Saul seemed to have a bad case of Attention Deficit Disorder. When you attach “spiritual” to the front of that acronym, you get SADD, which pretty well describes Israel’s first king. What a waste! It isn’t like Saul didn’t have anything going for him! A head taller than everybody else, good-looking, off to a good start—he’s the kind of king people would have chosen out of a monarch catalog. And now this. This is what you get when you try to do it the world’s way: A king who won’t listen to anybody, who still can’t win the battles! Saul does it all by the flesh. He even panics by the flesh! He’s going to make this thing spiritual by offering the sacrifice, scoring God’s blessing, and maybe that will help him, since most of his little army already left. All it does is get him into more trouble with God than he already is! God has already passed over Saul and gone on to someone “after his own heart.” A servant who won’t listen to anyone, not even his own master, is one worthless servant! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 22 THE FIRST JOB OF A SERVANT—PAYATTENTION ASK GOD, AND LISTEN! Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” Therefore David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” Then David inquired of the LORD again. And the LORD answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. ...Then said David, “O LORD, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account. Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the LORD said, “He will come down.” Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the LORD said, “They will surrender you.” Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. 1 Samuel 23:1-5,10-13 Because David is listening to God and obeying, he goes against an enemy army to rescue an Israelite city, defeats the Philistines, then escapes before they can betray him into Saul’s hands. Every part of that scenario was difficult, fraught with danger and didn’t make sense, but it all worked out perfectly because he was listening to God, and God was giving directions. Checking with God, heeding His direction even over the advice given by friends or associates, is the difference between being God’s servant and being some free-lance maverick who is always getting himself into trouble! Ask God, and listen! He is always willing to help and guide His servants, if we will only ask. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 23 THE FIRST JOB OF A SERVANT—PAY ATTENTION WHEN THAT ISN’T GOD’S VOICE Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’S anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’S anointed.” So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way. 1 Samuel 24:2-7 David’s men tell him, “This is it–this is the big chance God has given you,” and even make it sound spiritual. The servant is close enough to God that he doesn’t fall for it when others—even his friends—put words in God’s mouth. David’s trust is in the Lord. By refusing to try to fulfill God’s promise himself by ungodly means, David stays in the center of God’s will and avoids the trap into which so many others have fallen, that of presumptuous sin which says, “This is God’s will and I’m just helping Him.” Good move, David! Talk about courage! How do we know the difference between God’s will and man’s presumption? Stay close enough to God that even the message of a friend or brother doesn’t get through the filter of what we know to be God’s will. When we’ve heard from God, confirmation from others is nice, but not crucial. We have to be willing to sort through the advice of those who are theologically creative, who work hard at making their agenda God’s. It pays to be able to recognize the difference, and the best way to recognize a falsehood or a distortion is to be extremely familiar with the truth. Sometimes discernment is a gift, and sometimes it’s simply a result of having spent so much time with God that we easily recognize when something attributed to Him doesn’t fit with His character or His Word. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 24 THE FIRST JOB OF A SERVANT—PAY ATTENTION HOW TO GET MORE “DISCERNMENT” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Matthew 16:15-23 Poor Peter. First you’re a divinely inspired “rock,” next you’re Satan! All he was trying to do was help. Peter was unaware of Satan’s tactic of utilizing the mouths of people like our best friends to gain an audience for his message. It didn’t work with Jesus, who discerned the genesis of that thought, even though Simon Peter thought it was original with him, and that he might even be due a little praise for his support. He must have been shocked to receive such a stern rebuke, just for saying he didn’t want his Master to die! Jesus was on the wavelength of the Father, rather than the world. What others considered well-wishing Jesus counted a threat, because the suggestion was to veer from His mission, and accept security at the cost of obedience. Is much of “discernment” really just paying attention? When we walk close to God, we have a keener ability to recognize those suggestions that don’t match God’s character, and label them for what they are—Satan’s lies. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 25 THE FIRST JOB OF A SERVANT—PAY ATTENTION GOD’S OBEDIENCE TRAINING CAMP IN THE DESERT At the command of the LORD the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the LORD they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the LORD and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the LORD they remained in camp; then according to the command of the LORD they set out. And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out. Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out. At the command of the LORD they camped, and at the command of the LORD they set out. They kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by Moses. Numbers 9:18-23 What God did with the cloud was good practice for the Israelites. They got used to not being able to plan anything other than following God. “When are we leaving?” “We don’t know. All we know is that we have to stay with God.” The Israelites had to pay attention to God, in the desert. They basically had no other choice. Consequently, an entire generation of Israelites grew up thinking it was natural to follow a cloud representing the invisible presence of God. This was an obedient generation, willing to do seemingly absurd things like march around an enemy city for seven days in silence, simply because these were God’s instructions. When we get to the point where it’s natural for us to follow wherever our invisible God leads us, when we get to the point where we refuse to make plans without His direction, when we get to where we’ll sit still for a year or two if need be, simply because God has not yet given the signal to march, we will have gotten to the point of usefulness which seems always to precipitate God’s miraculous engagement and blessing. God is raising up people of obedience. May I be one of them. It starts with just paying attention to Him. (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 26 THE SECOND JOB OF A SERVANT—BELIEVE THE MASTER After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:1-6 God wasn’t asking Abram to do anything except believe the promise. He did, and that was good enough for God. “And he counted it to him as righteousness.” Later on, at his wife’s urging, Abram would try to fulfill the promise himself, resulting in the painful episode surrounding Hagar and Ishmael, but even then, Abram believed the promise God had given him; he was just trying to creatively help God accomplish it. Abram was not only paying attention to God; when God spoke, Abram believed Him. I’ve had the personal experience of having God promise me a son, and believing Him. I still have the toy fire truck I bought for our son, a year and a half before he was born. I remember going home and telling my wife what the Lord had told me in the Prayer Room. “You’re going to have a son. This year.” It had taken me by surprise, but I believed it was true, because it came out of the blue, yet was from God. It was true (Although, like Abram, I had to wait longer than I thought)! Our son was a child of that promise. It was as perfect as an adoption could be. When it happened, I knew it was the fulfillment of God’s promise to me. What God wants of us is not our resources (as if He needs anything, or that we can really “help” Him); it’s that we would believe Him and trust Him. Righteousness begins with believing what God says. It’s the second job of being a servant, right after “paying attention.” (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 27 THE SECOND JOB OF A SERVANT—BELIEVE THE MASTER PLEADING INCOMPETENCE IS AN INSULT TO GOD But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the LORD said to him, "Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, ‘Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.” Exodus 4:10-17 The priesthood sort of started here, didn’t it? Moses will “be as God” to Aaron; Aaron will take what Moses says, and tell it to the people. God was not at all pleased with Moses’ reluctance or his excuses! I guess God doesn’t appreciate it when His creation tells Him they think He messed up! That might be a good thing to remember! When I tell God I “can’t” do what He asks, I’m really telling Him that He made a mistake— that the God who can speak worlds into existence would be unable to accomplish His purposes were He to utilize me as His tool. The incompetence excuse reflects more on my faith in God than it does in my self-confidence. Moses’ classic argument, “But I’m not good at this!” is one I’ve tried myself, with similar result. When God decides to use someone, He’s persistent! And He is pleased with faith on the part of His servants, and displeased when they question either His judgment or His ability. I need to remember this—especially the part about, “But I can’t do this, because I’m not good at it...” Who made my mouth? Who made my mind? Who gave me this memory? I’d better just go do what God said, instead of providing Him with excuses for my disobedience! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 28 THE SECOND JOB OF A SERVANT—BELIEVE THE MASTER FIVE STONES—AND GOD And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him, and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!” 1 Samuel 17:32-37 David didn’t start out by volunteering to fight Goliath; he merely declared his faith that somebody should fight him, since Goliath had defied God. When Saul sent for him, David put his faith into practice and offered to take on the giant. Saul, typically, declares his lack of faith, but David is able to change his mind with his “lion and bear” rationale. Saul’s big contribution is his “permission” and his armor! David wisely foregoes the armor and resorts to what’s familiar to him: A shepherd’s sling, five smooth stones—and God. And so it goes. Today the shepherd musician will become a warrior. He explains his theology to a giant who has not long to live: ...“For the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hand.”(1 Sa 17:47) One day the shepherd musician become warrior will become king will become ancestor of the Messiah. For all of David’s life, God would keep expanding the horizons of a man who believed that all the battles were the LORD’S. Wouldn’t He do the same for me, if I believed that all the battles were His? (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) February 29 THE SECOND JOB OF A SERVANT—BELIEVE THE MASTER HE HEARS US For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?... Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 1 John 5:4-5,10-15 Not only is belief in Jesus as the Son of God the only way to eternal life; if we refuse to believe in Jesus despite the testimony God has given us concerning Him, we are making God out to be a liar! Then there is the aspect of God hearing our prayers. Do we really believe that God has heard us when we pray? Really? Wouldn’t our prayers be considerably different, if we absolutely knew that every word was being heard by the God who made the universe? I know from experience that if I really, truly believed that I was speaking to someone of great importance, I wouldn’t ramble! My prayers would be more like the centurion’s, who sent someone to Jesus to tell Him, “Lord, my servant needs healing. You don’t need to come, though. Besides that, I don’t deserve to have you come under my roof. Please just say the word, and he’ll be healed.” He knew he would be heard, and he got right to the point. Not only do we need to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, we need to believe that our prayers are truly heard by God—every word— rather than incautiously blathering on as if no one was heeding us and our words didn’t count. A prayer I need to pray more often is, “Lord, what do you want me to ask you?” A prayer that has God’s will on both sides of it is a prayer sure to be answered! (From Serving God, by Dave Ness) Serving God is a year-long devotional book written by Dave Ness. The theme is "What does the Bible say about serving God? All scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version of the Bible (ESV).

Home Page	SC Newsletter	About Servant Connection	Servant Prayer Journal