prayer and giving are two basic keys to spiritual growth

Luke 12:37
It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.

When we are always ready to serve, our influence is at the ready. We don’t even have to look for opportunities. God will place plenty right in front of us. Whom he trusts he expands.

Pray for God to expand your opportunities to serve.

Luke 1:48
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.

God pays attention to true humility. It is actually a great form of confidence (con + fides, with + faith). It is a sign that you have faith God is in charge and how you are serving is important to him.

Realize you can’t fake humility or confidence because God knows.

Mark 9:35
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Jesus already knew they were arguing about who is the greatest. Jesus can understand this question because he is the greatest. Sorry, Muhammad Ali, but it is Jesus, after all. So, if you really want to be at the front of the line, make sure you serve your way all the way up.

Pray for humility to make progress in your life.

Matthew 23:11
The greatest among you will be your servant.

I recently toured the nation’s capitol building and when I walked into the House Chambers I was intrigued. All around the border of the ceiling were bas-relief faces of famous lawmakers from various eras. They are all side views, except one.

Staring straight ahead above the upper central entrance to the House for visitors, looking down directly at the Speaker of the House and the main podium is the face of the lawgiver- Moses.

Now I don’t know the story of every person that is represented around the House ceiling, but I do know Moses. And I know he is a friend of God and a servant of all those he led. Not a bad image for some of the leading lawmakers of our nation to see while in session…

Pray for your congressman or significant legislator if you live outside the U.S.A.

Matthew 20:26
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

Is it possible to have completely pure motives when you serve others? Who is to say? We might never be aware of this. So, do we wait until our hearts are pure before we act? Is that what Jesus is saying in this passage? No. Serving is the way to gain influence as a leader. This is so contrary to what the world thinks. Being served is the sign of great leaders. Who is most feared or most adored and has people cater to them or obey them as a result.

Pray to God to begin expanding your image of servant leadership.

Matthew 20:28
“just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

“Son of Man” in capital letters is one way Jesus speaks of his divinity. God “comes down” to earth to serve and give his life for all, including his enemies. Another reason why the Christian view of reality is so compelling.

In other religions and philosophies, as well as a classic Darwinian view of the world when you have an enemy, you either kill him, subdue him, pretend that he doesn’t really exist, or join him. An interesting variation is to allow your enemy to subdue you or kill you in order to shame him into changing (think Ghandi). It is only Jesus who dies for the sake of his enemy. In this sign of weakness comes his greatest power. The power of forgiveness and freedom available for all who come to him.

Pray for an openness to seek the good news of Jesus.

Matthew 12:18
“Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.
He is my Beloved, who pleases me.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

Jesus is the beloved servant who is a model for his followers. Through this servant leader focus, we are able to see the power that becomes available to influence the world for good. He can proclaim that fairness will come to all people groups because he is the source of the blessings. It pleases God that we live our lives for others, and that our own lives are expanded as a result.

Pray for God to continue to rid you of the need for human affirmation as you serve.

Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

The essence of our connection with God is trust. You either trust God with your life or you don’t. For most human beings, the competing force for trust in our lives is security. Overwhelmingly, wealth is at the core of this.

This is why almost half of Jesus’ teachings are about money. He has way more to say about this than prayer, serving those in need, or Bible study. A proper view of our finances and how they can be used as a blessing is a key core teaching. Jesus knows we can say we trust him a million times over but looking at our generosity and how we use our resources speaks volumes about whether we come out of a mentality of scarcity or abundance.

Pray for God to rid you of financial fears and increase your spirit of generosity.

Daniel 6:20
When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”

Daniel works for King Darius of Persia. Daniel is a blessing and the King is saddened that he is tricked into declaring a law that all people have to worship him. If you don’t worship the king you die. Daniel appreciates Darius but he will not bow down to him. Reluctantly, the King has Daniel thrown into the lion’s den. The King is rooting for God to rescue Daniel.

Often, it is interesting when my non-Christian friends want me to be blessed in my life by God. Or they are so encouraged by the work our church is doing in the community. They don’t have to be on the same team to root for victory in bringing blessing and sharing compassion.

Look for ways to connect with friends of another faith and encourage them.