SELF SERVICE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Remember when Marty McFly went back to 1955 and there was the little gas station scene where all the attendants came out to serve the car? They started washing the windows, filling the tires, pumping the gas and checking under the hood.

Full service!

Those days are surely gone. The gas was a lot cheaper and the service a whole lot better. Doesn’t make a lick of sense does it?

No it doesn’t. Cause now were a “self-service” lot.

Self-serve gas, self-serve on-line purchases, self-serve insurance, the list goes on and on.

The trouble is we have become far too GOOD at "SELF-SERVE"; in fact we have “serving ourselves” down pat. We have since the time of Paul.

2 Timothy 3:2

For people will be lovers of self…

Yet GOD calls us to live differently. He calls us to serving others before “serving ourselves.”

1 Corinthians 10:24

Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

At the root of most of our sins and disobedience is selfishness. Our flesh cries out for satisfaction constantly and it is that selfish, self-serving sinful nature that leads us into trouble and consequences. For selfish desires often open the doors to things like lust, gluttony, and irresponsibility. Make no mistake selfishness is the straightest path to sin!

It is why the LORD put loving ourselves last in the cue of daily priorities!

Matthew 26:37-39

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus knew we already had that “love of self” down to a science, but He also knew the danger of that self love. It is why He made such a point of reprioritizing our passions for us.

Love GOD.

Love others.

Love you.

You do realize that if we would embrace this simple line up (GOD, others, me), then we would no longer need to be so “self-serving”. How do I know?

GOD makes it clear.

Matthew 6:31-33

…relax, (don’t) be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

You see that?

When we shift our focus from self-service to FULL-SERVICE to GOD and others, then GOD promises to take care and serve us in return!

So shift your service today. Make GOD and others the priority and watch the glorious ways GOD will LOVE and SERVE you!

I love you all!

Have a blessed weekend!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney