Daily Devotions With Greg Laurie ~ ”Servants By Choice” ~ Monday, 21 October 2013
"So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.' "(Luke 17:10)
The apostle Paul would often describe himself as a bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ. This isn't the same as the horrific slavery of days gone by where people were forced to work for someone else. Being a bondservant of Christ means serving God. It is something I want to do.
What is the goal of a servant? To please his master, to do what his master wants him to do. As 1 Corinthians 6:20 reminds us, "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."
Let's not misunderstand. It isn't as though God has taken me against my will and made me His slave. No, it is more like being in a slave market in shackles. Jesus comes along, looks at me, and says, "I will take that one." Then He buys me.
So I say, "Okay, Master, where do you want me to go?"
"I want you to come over here because I am going to undo those shackles you're wearing."
"Wow. That feels a lot better."
Then Jesus says, "We're going down to the courthouse."
"Why?"
"I am going to adopt you now as my son. See, you are my slave, but you are my son."
"You know what?" I say. "I want to be your slave forever."
That is how it works. I am not a slave because I have to be; I am a slave because I want to be.
Yes, as Christians we are slaves. But we also are friends of God. The Potter who molded us is also our Father who adores us. Our Master who owns us is also our Friend who loves us. And so we are called to be His servants.
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TODAY’S BIBLE READINGS:
Job 3:1 After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth. 2 Job answered:
3 “Let the day perish in which I was born,
the night which said, ‘There is a boy conceived.’
4 Let that day be darkness.
Don’t let God from above seek for it,
neither let the light shine on it.
5 Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own.
Let a cloud dwell on it.
Let all that makes black the day terrify it.
6 As for that night, let thick darkness seize on it.
Let it not rejoice among the days of the year.
Let it not come into the number of the months.
7 Behold, let that night be barren.
Let no joyful voice come therein.
8 Let them curse it who curse the day,
who are ready to rouse up leviathan.
9 Let the stars of its twilight be dark.
Let it look for light, but have none,
neither let it see the eyelids of the morning,
10 because it didn’t shut up the doors of my mother’s womb,
nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.
11 “Why didn’t I die from the womb?
Why didn’t I give up the spirit when my mother bore me?
12 Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breast, that I should nurse?
13 For now should I have lain down and been quiet.
I should have slept, then I would have been at rest,
14 with kings and counselors of the earth,
who built up waste places for themselves;
15 or with princes who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver:
16 or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been,
as infants who never saw light.
17 There the wicked cease from troubling.
There the weary are at rest.
18 There the prisoners are at ease together.
They don’t hear the voice of the taskmaster.
19 The small and the great are there.
The servant is free from his master.
20 “Why is light given to him who is in misery,
life to the bitter in soul,
21 Who long for death, but it doesn’t come;
and dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
22 who rejoice exceedingly,
and are glad, when they can find the grave?
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
whom God has hedged in?
24 For my sighing comes before I eat.
My groanings are poured out like water.
25 For the thing which I fear comes on me,
That which I am afraid of comes to me.
26 I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest;
but trouble comes.”
4:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2 “If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved?
But who can withhold himself from speaking?
3 Behold, you have instructed many,
you have strengthened the weak hands.
4 Your words have supported him who was falling,
You have made firm the feeble knees.
5 But now it has come to you, and you faint.
It touches you, and you are troubled.
6 Isn’t your piety your confidence?
Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 “Remember, now, whoever perished, being innocent?
Or where were the upright cut off?
8 According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity,
and sow trouble,
reap the same.
9 By the breath of God they perish.
By the blast of his anger are they consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion,
and the voice of the fierce lion,
the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey.
The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.
12 “Now a thing was secretly brought to me.
My ear received a whisper of it.
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men,
14 fear came on me, and trembling,
which made all my bones shake.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face.
The hair of my flesh stood up.
16 It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes.
Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,
17 ‘Shall mortal man be more just than God?
Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 Behold, he puts no trust in his servants.
He charges his angels with error.
19 How much more, those who dwell in houses of clay,
whose foundation is in the dust,
who are crushed before the moth!
20 Between morning and evening they are destroyed.
They perish forever without any regarding it.
21 Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them?
They die, and that without wisdom.’(Messianic WEB)
Acts 8:1 Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the emissaries. 2 Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him. 3 But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house, and dragged both men and women off to prison. 4 Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around proclaiming the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Messiah. 6 The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he did. 7 For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 There was great joy in that city.
9 But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one, 10 to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is that great power of God.” 11 They listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries. 12 But when they believed Philip proclaiming good news concerning God’s Kingdom and the name of Yeshua the Messiah, they were immersed, both men and women. 13 Simon himself also believed. Being immersed, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.
14 Now when the emissaries who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and Yochanan to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 16 for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been immersed in the name of Messiah Yeshua. 17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the emissaries’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me also this power, that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn’t right before God. 22 Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the poison of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”
24 Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me.”
25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans. 26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert.”
27 He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. 28 He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go near, and join yourself to this chariot.”
30 Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this,
“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter.
As a lamb before his shearer is silent,
so he doesn’t open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away.
Who will declare His generation?
For his life is taken from the earth.”✡
34 The eunuch answered Philip, “Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?”
35 Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him about Yeshua. 36 As they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being immersed?”
37 * 38 He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he immersed him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn’t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
9:1 But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he traveled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him. 4 He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 He said, “Who are you, Lord?”
The Lord said, “I am Yeshua, whom you are persecuting.* 6 But† rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one. 8 Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Hananiah. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Hananiah!”
He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.”
11 The Lord said to him, “Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah‡ for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying, 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Hananiah coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.”
13 But Hananiah answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your holy ones at Jerusalem. 14 Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
17 Hananiah departed, and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was immersed. 19 He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus. 20 Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Messiah, that he is the Son of God. 21 All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!”
22 But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Messiah. 23 When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket. 26 When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the emissaries, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Yeshua. 28 He was with them entering into§ Jerusalem, 29 proclaiming boldly in the name of the Lord Yeshua.** He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists,†† but they were seeking to kill him. 30 When the brothers‡‡ knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 So the assemblies throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
32 As Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the holy ones who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, because he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Yeshua the Messiah heals you. Get up and make your bed!” Immediately he arose. 35 All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tavita, which when translated, means Dorcas.§§ This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did. 37 In those days, she became sick, and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men*** to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. 39 Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40 Peter sent them all out, and knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tavita, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 He gave her his hand, and raised her up. Calling the holy ones and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 He stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.(Messianic WEB)
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Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie
P.O. Box 4000
Riverside, CA 92514-4000 United States
Phone: 1-800-821-3300
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