Stan and I were again at the Twelve Baskets Cafe for breakfast and conversation about growing in our faith. While Stan was enjoying the blueberry pancakes Cook had prepared, he stopped and mentioned he’d been talking to a neighbor about how to be of greater service to God and His kingdom.
“How to be of greater service to God and His kingdom,” I repeated. “That sounds like a great thing. What’d you and your neighbor talk about?”
“Faithfulness,” was Stan’s one-word reply.
“Faithfulness? What’s that have to do with greater service?”
“It looks like it has a lot to do with it,” Stan replied. “Jesus talked about it and the apostle Paul wrote about being thankful that God considered him faithful to be strengthen for service.”
“What about Jesus? What’d He say?”
“At least a couple of things,” Stan said. “In the first place, He talked about a good and faithful servant being able to enter into His rest. And then He talked about those who are faithful in a little will be faithful in much.”
“So,” I replied, “if people are faithful in what God has for them to do for Him and His kingdom, even though it might be a little thing, He will give them bigger things to do. Right?”
“Right,” Stan agreed. “And not only will God give greater service to those who have been faithful in doing what He has for them to do, He will strengthen them for that greater service!”
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Bible verses to consider:
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthen me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service. 1 Timothy 1:12.
He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; . . . . Luke 16:10.
His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” Matthew 25:23.
And why do you call Me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving Jesus and His finished work on the cross as the way to life with you, the life that begins here and will continue forever. Even though I know I will spend eternity in your presence, I confess that too often while I remain on this side of eternity I’m not faithful in my service to you and your kingdom because I ignore what you have for me to do. Please forgive that foolishness and help me be faithful in whatever you have for me to do so you will reward that faithfulness by giving me even greater things to do. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Can you be of service to God and His kingdom because you’ve accepted His provision of life with Him, the life that begins here and will continue on into eternity? If no, why do you choose to remain separated from God both now and forever? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with being faithful in what God has for you do to so He will have even greater things for you to do for Him and His kingdom? If you sense the desire for change with any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you truly want? Why or why not?
The need: Since God knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8), what does He know you need, not only to be of service to Him as a believer, but what does He know you need to be faithful in whatever He has for you to do so He will give you even greater things to do? Spend time studying God’s word, praying, reflecting, and journaling about what God knows you need. He will show you!
Forward: Do you know others who would or could benefit from this devotional? If so, why not forward it and open them to be part of the conversation between Stan and S. Tory Teller?