Women Of Service - Dinner #30

     In John 18:37, Christ declares to Pilate, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world . . .” Have you ever stopped to think about why God may have wanted YOU in the world? What is your PURPOSE?  What is it that God wants you to do with your life?  Isaiah 43:7 “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”  God created you for His glory!  Are you glorifying Him with your life?

     Throughout Scripture, we find women who had a heart for ministering and serving others. A certain Shunammite woman in Elisha’s day made a place for the man of God to rest during his travels (II Kings 4:10). Luke 8:2-3 tells us of women followers who shared what they had with Jesus.  A widow woman in the New Testament gave sacrificially of her finances (Luke 21:2-3). Dorcas had a sewing ministry to help the widows in the early church (Acts 9:36,39).  Priscilla helped her husband to disciple a man named Apollos (Acts 18:26). What is it that God has laid on YOUR heart to do? Is there some talent or interest that He has given you to serve Him with?

     God does not call each one of us to complete the same tasks in life.  He gives each Christian lady certain spiritual gifts, and has a special job for each one of us to do.  I Corinthians 12:18, 28 “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. . . And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers . . .” But no matter what gift God has given to you - no matter what ministry in the church - we must remember that He wants us to serve with LOVE!  I Corinthians 13:3 “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” In your area of service, are you ministering to others out of LOVE?  I John 4:10-11 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” Why should we desire to lovingly serve others for the Lord? Because He gave Himself out of love for us! Who should our example be in our service to God? The Lord Jesus Christ! Matthew 20:28 “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

     The Lord recently led me to I Peter 4:11 “ . . . if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”  As a mother with a young baby, I may not be able to go out on door-to-door visitation as easily as I would like, or be involved in as many church ministries as I once was, but I can minister “as of the ability which God giveth”!  I believe with all my heart that if you are seeking to follow after Christ, He gives you the godly interests and desires that you have, for a reason!   Just this past week, I have been discovering the amazing possibilities of telling others about the Lord over the internet. The new "Dinner's In The Oven" devotional blog now has a blog partner entitled "Pika's Preschool", listing my personal reviews of wholesome children's books.  My prayer is that many unsaved people interested in researching children's literature will be curious enough to check out the devotional blog as well, and be reached with the Gospel! http://www.pikaspreschool.blogspot.com/   It is also just another way to help and encourage Christian mothers and teachers!  Do you feel as though God has been placing a special ministry desire in YOUR heart? Do not be afraid to trust Him for it! May you find what it is that God is calling you to do, and do it with all your heart!

Ministering Children - Dinner #14

     Working at daycare this week, I realized once again how very many Bible concepts even preschoolers can grasp.  Matthew 21:16 tells us, “. . . And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, OUT OF THE MOUTH OF BABES AND SUCKLINGS THOU HAST PERFECTED PRAISE?”  Even children can learn to honor the Lord!

     God oftentimes gives us opportunities to share truths about Himself with the Little People in our lives, if we will only take them.  Matthew 19:14 tells us, “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” It is our job to bring them to Jesus!  The other day at work, a preschool girl commented that one of the boys didn’t seem to care whether or not God was watching the bad things he did, and that he probably wouldn’t go to heaven.  “But we know that we don’t go to heaven by doing good things, right?” I asked her. “How DO we know that we’re going to go to heaven?”  And I was able to plant a “little seed” by reminding her that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and that we can only go to heaven by trusting Him as our Savior.  It was a typical afternoon on the playground, but God gave me an opportunity to share.

     Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  And what is this “way” that our children should go?  The way of Christian obedience! “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right . . . THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH THEE, AND THOU MAYEST LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.” (Ephesians 6:1,3)  It does not do your children or pupils any favors if you let them “do their own thing” and don’t give them some training and instruction!  SSSLLLOOWWW obedience and outright disobedience in young ones is SUCH a poor testimony for God!  I’ve worked with children for several years now, and believe me when I tell you the picture is NOT a pretty one!  How much better for them to learn at an early age to live righteously and to serve the Lord!

     Sometimes children can serve where adults cannot find an open door.  Their youth and “cuteness” tugs at people’s hearts and often allows them to be a bolder witness for God.  Even preschoolers can learn to pass out Gospel tracts to neighbors, or retell Bible stories to unsaved relatives.  They can also sing Bible songs for elderly “shut-ins” and people in nursing homes.  “. . . OUT OF THE MOUTH OF BABES AND SUCKLINGS THOU HAST PERFECTED PRAISE . . .” God receives praise when the Little Ones serve Him – PERFECTED praise! 

     Can children really understand what it is to serve the Lord?  The answer is definitely YES!  There is a Christian children’s song that says, “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine!” Whether mothers, preschool teachers, Sunday school teachers, or choir leaders, we can play a major role in helping even the very young to shine for Jesus!  For instance, we can encourage them to make cards for sick friends or relatives, bake cookies for someone in need of a smile, color pictures for soldiers overseas, or donate food to a homeless shelter.  The ideas for childhood service are truly endless! 

     Let’s admit it - Children can sometimes be quite selfish in their attitudes and their behavior!  Are we training the young ones in our care to be a blessing to others, instead?  Are we encouraging them to praise and serve the Lord?  Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.”  It is not so important whether your children have every toy or earthly possession they desire in life, as it is whether or not they are building a “good name” for themselves by their childhood actions.  Proverbs 20:11 declares that, “Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.” Will we allow the Lord to use us in the lives of children, that they might be known for pure and righteous doings?