Seven Marks of a Godly Servant

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave. (Matthew 20:25b-27)

While the specific ways in which we serve will differ in time, place, and position, there are things that all God’s servants have in common.

A Servant Is Humble

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:3-8)

Just before his death, Jesus decided to give his followers a clear picture of the attitude they should have. He took off his outer garments, got a basin, and washed their feet.

The 12 pairs of feet Jesus washed belonged to hairy men who walked rough roads shared with all manner of livestock, in a time before regular road cleaning or daily showers. Cleaning them would be the job of a servant, and a lowly one at that. The disciples resisted the idea that their master and teacher should stoop to such a thankless task, but Jesus persisted.

You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (John 13:13-17)

If Jesus humbled himself in this way—and even further in his death—then we also should be humble in all we do for him and others.

Read the rest: http://unlockingthebible.org/seven-marks-of-a-godly-servant/

What We Lose When We Yawn at God

By Randy Alcorn

In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, one of the children asks Mr. and Mrs. Beaver about Aslan the Lion, who is a figure of Christ:

“Is Aslan quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”

“That you will dearie, and no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver. “If there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or just plain silly.”

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

God is good. But until we understand the truth that He is not safe, that He is not under our control, until we come to grips with His holy majesty, transcendence, and utter independence, we will never begin to appreciate His fascinating and awe-inspiring character. Indeed, we will find Him boring—as all man-made gods are, and as the one and only true God is anything but.

Read more: http://www.epm.org/blog/2016/May/30/lose-yawn-god

Christ is Enough : In Christ Alone – video

Book Review: Dinosaur Blood and the Age of the Earth

http://lukenixblog.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-dinosaur-blood-and-age-of.html

My Favorite Apologetics Apps

http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2015/07/my-favorite-apologetics-apps.html

The fear of God

God’s Word

2016 Reading Challenge Update: May

Not mine, but Tim Challies. No wonder he is so informed and deep. My reading is pablum next to this.

Check out: http://www.challies.com/resources/2016-reading-challenge-update-may

If The Church, Would Just Be the Church

By Timothy

Matt Barber has an interesting piece over at Townhall.com on his upcoming book, Hating Jesus: The American Left’s War on Christianity. He goes on to describe the need for his book and mentions how we need to stand up for our freedom. It is the typical charge of Christians not doing enough to stand up for our freedoms and declaring that we must be more political. In other words, Barber is telling us we need another Moral Majority, (especially given the raving success that was).

Barber makes the same mistake that many Christians make in trying to turn the tide of immorality: thinking that we need to become politically involved to solve our worldly problems. Politics cannot solve our problems. Only God can change the course of this country, and I don’t believe that will happen until the church starts becoming the church. The church needs to become the church in the following ways:

Find the rest at: https://timothyjhammons.com/2016/05/30/if-the-church-would-just-be-the-church/

The Cross And The Sword

“He is not guilty of any crime. But you have a custom of asking me to release one prisoner each year at Passover. Would you like me to release this ‘King of the Jews’?” But they shouted back, “No! Not this man. We want Barabbas!” (Barabbas was a revolutionary.) (John 18:38-40)

Read more: https://tworiversblog.com/2016/05/30/the-cross-and-the-sword/