Am I Serving God with Reserve?

An excerpt from my devotion this morning. It was so rich that I could not help sharing. As you read this, allow the words to penetrate your mind and to sink into your heart. 

"Natural love expects some return, but Paul says--I do not care whether you love me or not, I am willing to destitute myself completely, not merely for your sakes, but that I may get you to God  "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor." Paul's idea of service is exactly along that line---I do not care with what extravagance I spend myself, and I will do it gladly. It was a joyful thing to Paul. 

"The ecclesiastical idea of a servant of God is not Jesus Christ's idea. His idea is that we serve Him by being the servants of other men. Jesus Christ out-socialists the socialists. He says that in His Kingdom he that is greatest shall be the servant of all. The real test of the sain is not preaching the gospel, but washing disciples' feet, that is, doing the things that do not count in the actual estimate of men but count everything in the estimate of God. Paul delighted to spend himself out for God's interests in other people, and he did not care what it cost. We come in with our economical notions--"Suppose God wants me to go there--what about the salary? What about the climate? How shall I be looked after? A person must consider these things." All this is an indication that we are serving God with reserve. Paul focuses Jesus Christ's idea of a New Testament saint in his life, viz., not one who proclaims the gospel merely, but one who becomes broken bread and poured-out wine in the hands of Jesus Christ for other lives."  (From My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers)

The question is, am I serving God with reserve? Does my idea of Christian service look like Jesus' or the world's?

"And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, but the worries of the world, the deceitfulness of external possessions, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." Mark 4:18-19

In the face of these piercing words I can only cry like the Tax Collector, "God be merciful to me, a sinner." 

Dr. Mills Quotes of the Day!

"Well, now we'll move from Valentines Day...to Marx and the oppression of humankind." 

"It's as if they're saying, 'Buy this [mouthwash], or you'll be alone....FOREVER!'"

Dr. Mills telling a story about two greedy people...

"'Haha! Now I have a concrete goose and you don't.' 'Well fine then, I'll steal your concrete goose!' 'Hey! This is not cool!'"

Dr. Markham Quote of the Day!

"I once broke up with a boy because he didn't like apples. Who doesn't like apples?"


"Unfortunately [for behavioral scientists], college students don't usually peck and sniff in corners."

Dr. Ham's Relationship Advice of the Day!

"Stalking is ok if you're really in love...or if the other person doesn't know about it."

7 - An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess

I read a book not too long ago called 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker.  Not only was this book inspiring and hilarious - I found myself clutching my sides with laughter more often then not - this book also motivated me to action. Here's a synopsis of the 7 story:

"American life can be excessive, to say the least. That’s what Jen Hatmaker had to admit after taking in hurricane victims who commented on the extravagance of her family’s upper middle class home. She once considered herself unmotivated by the lure of prosperity, but upon being called “rich” by an undeniably poor child, evidence to the contrary mounted, and a social experiment turned spiritual was born.

7 is the true story of how Jen (along with her husband and her children to varying degrees) took seven months, identified seven areas of excess, and made seven simple choices to fight back against the modern-day diseases of greed, materialism, and overindulgence.

Dr. Ham Quotes of the Day!

"I'm rebelling against God today...I'm going to wear polyester!"

After we had just read Exodus...

" I used to make my students read all of Leviticus and Numbers, but then I heard the groaning of my people..."