July 30, 2025 • 26 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
The world says to put yourself first, take care of
number one, be assertive, But is that how God wants
you to live? Today? On Turning Point, doctor David Jeremiah
considers the incredible power of servanthood and putting the needs
of others ahead of your own. You won't glorify God
by serving yourself, but you will by serving others. Here's
(00:28):
David with the conclusion of his message, what can I Do?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
After our long and extended series on Revelation, we have
more information now than we've had before. We've learned a
lot of things from the Bible about the future, but
the future isn't here yet. So what do we do now?
How do we live our lives? And there are several
passages in the New Testament that speak to that issue.
We dealt with one of them from the Book of Romans,
and we're dealing with another one even as we open
(00:54):
our Bibles together today. Here is part two of what
can I Do? And we'll get to that in just
a moment. Before we get to this particular teaching, I
want to remind you again this is the last day
you can order your copy of the book vanished from
turning Point. Now this book is in bookstores all over
the country. It was released in the early days of July,
(01:18):
but you can get your copy from Turning Point for
a gift of any size. I hope you will help
us during the month of July. When you send your gift,
just simply say, please send me the book Vanished, and
it will be on its way. I think you'll be
intrigued by the book. It might keep you up at
night a couple of times if you're reading through it.
It will be a teaching tool and very helpful for
(01:38):
you to begin to feel the presence of this coming
event we call the Rapture once again. Vanished is yours
for a gift of any size during the month of July,
which ends officially today. So here is part two of
what to do until Jesus comes back? What can I do?
More instructions, more ideas, suggestions from the Bible. Now, one
(02:06):
of the things that gets in the way of our
serving the Lord is that somewhere along the way we
discover that serving the Lord involves serving other people. Did
you know you can't serve the Lord if you won't
serve other people? How do you serve God without serving people?
While I just serve him. Wow, well I just sort
(02:29):
of pastor. I don't know, I just serve him. No,
let me tell you something that I've discovered. Serving God
is serving people. The Bible teaches that. Calvin Miller writes, Unfortunately,
serving people is the only way by which we can
serve God, and serving people means that we are going
to get hurt in the process. If we are not careful,
(02:50):
the pain involved in our service can cause us ultimately
to despise those we once felt called to love. Charlie
Brown is right. We all want to serve God, but
it can be terribly degrading to serve people in order
to do it. That's true, isn't it. Have you ever
prayed this prayer? My friends? Here's where this whole bit
(03:11):
of serving the Lord begins.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Here's where it starts. Lord.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I don't know what you might have for me to
do in your kingdom, but I want you to know
that I am willing and available.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
To do it.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Usually, our willingness and our availability come first, and the
assignment comes second. Here's how it works. Here's the blank
sheet of paper. Sign your name at the bottom, say Lord,
you fill in the details.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I'm ready.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
I've signed the contract, you fill in the provisions. That
sounds easy, but it's where the struggle is for most people.
I remember when I was coming up in the faith
and going to all these youth meetings and being called to,
you know, commit your life to the Lord. I heard
Romans twelve one and two about fifty times when I
(03:59):
was growing up. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice to God. And I wanted to serve God. There's
one thing that got in the way. I was absolutely
convinced that if I gave my life to Christ, he
would send me to Africa. Man, I didn't want to
go to Africa. I didn't know anything about Africa, but
it didn't sound like the place I wanted to go.
(04:21):
And you know, there are a lot of people that
grow up like that. They think, if I give God
absolute permission to take control of my life, he will
give me something to do that I don't want to do.
But you're missing at friends, he knows better than anyone
what makes you tick, what is going to wire you
with joy and excitement and adventure, And if you'll let
(04:42):
him have control of your life, he will give you
the desires of your heart. I don't say that carelessly.
The Bible says, commit your way unto the Lord. What's
the rest of it, and he will give you the
desires of your heart. Do you know what I'm doing today?
I'm doing what I love to do with all my heart.
(05:02):
What I would do if I could choose what to do.
But I didn't know that at the beginning God called
me to do what I love to do the gift
of availability. Notice secondly, the secret of authority. Everyone who
(05:24):
is serving is under the authority to someone else.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
You don't serve out of your own heart.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
You serve others under the direction. And that's the characteristic
of the scripture. Listen to the word of God. Jesus
came and spoke to them Matthew twenty eight, saying, all
authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
I have all authority. Now here's my command. Go into
all the world and preach the Gospel. When you serve,
(05:53):
you serve under the authority of someone. When Jesus was
at the first miracle that he prove formed in John two, Jesus'
mother said to the servants whatever he says to you
do it.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
That's a perfect illustration.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Matthew seven twenty one says, not everyone who says to me, Lord,
Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he
who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven.
And Luke six forty six says, why do you call
me lord? And do not the things that I say?
If you're going to be a servant, you're going to
serve someone, You're going to be under the authority of someone,
(06:32):
And I want to ask.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
You, is that an issue for you.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
There are a lot of folks today who don't want
to be under the authority to anyone. They don't want
to answer to anyone. My friend, if you're going to
serve the Lord, you will be under his authority. You
will do what he says. Now you don't have to
fear that he will not call you to do what
you do not want to do. There's a wonderful story
about missionary David Livingston.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Who was called Africa by the way.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
He was a British missionary who was deployed to Africa
in the nineteenth century. When he died from malaria and dysentery,
the African tribe in which he had lived, refused to
hand his body over to the British authorities for a
proper burial. Eventually they relented, but not before they cut
out his heart and put a note on his body
(07:21):
that said, you can have his body, but his heart
belongs to Africa. Livingstone's life was extraordinary, was filled with
missionary good works in the exploration of the gospel. And
above all, he knew that where he was was where
God wanted him to be, and he was under the
authority of the one who had called him there. He
(07:42):
wrote one time in one of his writings these words.
He says, people talk of the sacrifice I have made
in spending so much of my life in Africa. Is
that a sacrifice which brings its best reward in healthful activity,
the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, a bright
hope of a glorious destiny hereafter. By the way parentheses,
(08:05):
there are a lot of people caught up in the
American dream who would give anything just to have those
three things. Just have peace of mind, just have the
sense that they're doing something worthwhile. He found it in
a place God put him where most of us would
dread to even think about going. He wrote, away with
the word in such a view, Away with the word
of sacrifice. Away with such a thought. It is emphatically
(08:29):
no sacrifice, say real is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering,
or danger. Now and then, sometimes the foregoing of common
conveniences may make us pause and cause the spirit to
waver and the soul to sink. But let this only
be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us.
(08:53):
Then he wrote, and I underlined it, I never made
a sacrifice. To serve under the authority of the Living
God is not a sacrifice. It's a privilege. The most
of the people I know who are doing that are joyful, happy,
fulfilled individuals, and we see it often when they come
(09:15):
home from the mission field to do their little furlough.
When you talk to them, all they talk about is
they can't wait to get back. Coming home is a
real irritation to most of them. They want to go
back and serve the Lord who has called them into service.
The secret of availability and authority. Then let me talk
(09:36):
with you for a moment about the secret of humility.
Jesus taught us how to serve. And I don't want
to read this passage because it's rather extended.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
And you know the story.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
It's the story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples.
The Bible tells us that on an occasion listen to this,
when his disciples were arguing with themselves over who was
the greatest in the kingdom, Jesus walked in and, without
saying a word, took off his outer garment, wrapped himself
with a towel, got down on his knees, and watched
(10:06):
all of their stinking, filthy feet one after the other.
Wouldn't you like to have been there for that moment?
I mean, just to see the contrast between these arrogant
disciples arguing over their place of prominence, and then the
one who had called him to serve bowing before them,
taking the place of a servant, and washing their feet.
(10:28):
And when he got all done, he said, as I
have done this, you should do it. Also, what was
Jesus telling them? He's telling them a servant serves. Jesus
came into this world to serve. The problem with being
a servant is that some of it is not easy.
(10:52):
Serving isn't always a walk in the park. Going to
Africa has its issues. I couldn't help but wonder what
the lack of conveniences was he was talking about. In
his little paragraph, Race Deedmond writes, loving people is about
the most difficult thing that some of.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Us ever do.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
We could be patient with people and even be just
and charitable, but how are we supposed to conjure up
in our hearts that warm, effervescent sentiment of goodwill which
the New Testament calls love. Some people are so miserably unlovable.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
We all know what that means, don't we.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
You say, well, i'll serve God as long as it's
in a nice place with nice people and no issues,
don't sign up.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
There is no such place. Every place has its own issues.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
I mean you may say, well, look what you do,
pastor or look what you do. Oh yes, I have
a lot of wonderful things that God has done for me,
but I have my issues just like you do. Serving
God has its issues, And if you're going to serve God,
you've got to have a spirit of humility. That's such
(12:05):
an interesting word, isn't it. Humility. Nobody wants to talk
about it, because as soon as you talk about it,
people think you have it, and then you're not humble anymore.
You know, you heard about the book the guy wrote,
Humility and how I achieved it. You know, I don't
think so. True humility is not thinking less of yourself,
(12:26):
but it's thinking of yourself less. C. S. Lewis wrote,
do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man,
he will be what most people call humble nowadays. He
will not be a sort of greasy, swarmy person who's
always telling you that, of course he is nobody. Probably
all you will think about him is that he seemed
like a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest
(12:48):
in what you said to him. If you do dislike him,
it will be because you feel a little envious at
anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will
not be thinking about humility. He will not be thinking
about himself. He will just be who he is, loving
people and being himself. The secret of humility. So far
we have availability authority, the humility. Here's the fourth one,
(13:11):
the secret of responsibility. There's a parable in the New
Testament called the Parable of the Talents, where Jesus talks
about a certain nobleman who went into a far country
to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. And
he called ten of his servants and delivered unto them
his treasure, and said to them, do business till I come.
And this is a true parable for our situation today,
(13:32):
is it not. The Lord went back to heaven after
his crucifixion. He went back to heaven, and he is
given to each of us a stewardship of service. And
we are to serve knowing that one day he's coming back,
and we will give an account of our service. The
secret of availability, authority, humility, responsibility. Here's number five. The
(13:56):
secret of ability. Oh yes, ability. Matthew twenty five point
fifteen says, to one, he gave five talents, to another,
two to another, one to each according to his own.
What's the word class ability? Almighty God gives to each
of us a gift. He gives us an ability. A
(14:16):
gift is something he gives us when we're saved. Every
one of us has a special gift, and you should
figure out what that gift is. Romans says, through the
grace of God, we have different gifts. If our gift
is preaching, let us preach to the limit of our vision.
If our gift is serving, let us concentrate on our service.
(14:38):
If it is teaching, let us give all we have
to our teaching. And if our gift be the stimulating
of the faith of others, let us set ourselves to it.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Let the man who is called to give give freely.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Let the man in authority work with enthusiasm, and let
the man who feels sympathy for his fellows in distress
help them cheerfully. Here is the Book of Romans telling
us that God gives us every one an ability. You say, well, Pastor,
I can't do anything, Well, yes you can. I don't
know you. I can tell you on the authority of
the Word of God. If you're a Christian, you have
(15:10):
a gift that God has given you to serve. And
if you don't know what it is, it's not God's fault,
it's yours. You can figure it out. If you want
to the secret of ability, then there's the secret of accountability.
Accountability says that when the Lord comes back, you're going
to give.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
An account of what you've done.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Now, if you're a Christian, you will never again face
your sin. The Bible says that there is therefore now
no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. When
you accept Jesus Christ as your savior, he forgives all
your sin, past, president and future. You have to stay
in fellowship with him, but you will never face the
penalty for your sin. But the Bible tells us one
day we're going to stand before him at the judgment
(15:50):
seat of Christ to give an account of the works.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
We have done in the flesh. What does that mean?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
To give an account to the Lord of how we've
used our gifts? And I don't want I'm a stand
before the Lord someday and have him say, well, Jeremiah,
I gave you this gift.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
In this gift, what did you do with it?
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Well, Lord, I hid it because I was afraid somebody
wouldn't understand. Or Lord, I just never got around to
using it, or Lord, I just felt so inadequate.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Now, whatever the Lord.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Gives you to do, you need to do it, because
one day you can him an account for what you've
done with the gift the Lord has given you. Finally,
there's the secret of fidelity. I love this. The Bible
tells us that fidelity is a two way Street. First
of all, there's our faithfulness to God. The Bible tells
us that if we serve the Lord, we are to
(16:42):
serve him with all of our hearts Hebrews six', Ten
john twelve twenty. Six The bible tells us That god
is going to be faithful to, us that he will
say to us one, day well, done good and faithful,
servant enter into the joy of Your. Lord it says
In First corinthians four to two that is required of, servant.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
That we be.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Faithful i've always thought about. That you, Know god hasn't
called me to be. Successful he's called me to be.
Faithful that mean that SOMETIMES i am, successful But i'm
not always. SUCCESSFUL i need to always be faithful to
do What god's called me to, do regardless of what,
happens or who appreciates it orho applauds it or who criticizes.
It to be faithful To, god that's my. Calling Max
(17:24):
locato's got a book he's written Called It's Not About.
Me and in this book he tells about a conversation
he had one day with An Orthodox jewish rabbi on
a flight across the.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Country this is a great.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Story somehow they began to talk about The, torah and
the rabbi began to wax eloquent With Max lokato about
the importance of Seeing Old testament truths through the eyes
of a story instead of just hearing the words of the.
Scripture and he Cited exodus twenty, seven thou shalt not
take the name of The lord Thy god in, Vain
(18:00):
and then he launched into this, story which he thought
was an illustration of this.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Verse here was the rabbi's.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Story he, said In, manhattan in a skyscraper was a
company where everyone worked for A ceo whose office was
on the top. Floor most of the people in the
building have never seen this, ceo but they know about
him because his daughter is in a prominent position in the.
(18:26):
Building and what do they know about the? Ceo one,
morning his daughter Approaches bert the guard and, Says i'm. Hungry,
bert go down the street and buy me A. Danish.
Well the demand Puts burt in a. Quandary he's on,
DUTY i, mean leaving his post puts the building at.
Risk but his boss's daughter, insists come on, now hurry.
(18:48):
Up what option does he have and he leaves and
he says nothing but thinks something like, This if the
daughter is so, bossy what does that say about her?
Father she's only getting started munching on her. Muffin she
bumps into a paper laden. Secretary where are you going
with all those? PAPERS i have them bound this afternoon
(19:09):
for a. Meeting forget the, meeting come to my office
and vacuum the. Carpet BUT i was, told And i'm
telling you something. Else the woman has no. CHOICE i,
mean after, all this is the boss's daughter. Speaking what
causes the secretary to question the wisdom of the? Daughter
and now what does this woman say about the wisdom
(19:33):
of her? Father and on the daughter, goes making, demands calling,
shots interrupting, schedules never invoking the name of her, dad
never leveraging her comments with my dad, said she doesn't need,
to isn't she the boss's? Child doesn't the child speak
for the? Father and So bert abandons his. Post an
(19:57):
assistant fails to finish a, task and more than one
employee questions the wisdom of the man. Upstairs does he
really know what he is? Doing they. Wonder The rabbi
pauses and looks At Max lolicato and, says but what
if the daughter acted, differently and then he proceeded to
recast the. Story rather than demand a muffin From, bert
(20:21):
she brings a muffin To. BERT i thought of you this,
Morning she, explains you arrive so, early do you have
time to?
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Eat and she hands him the.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Gift en route to the, elevator she bumps into the
woman with an armful of. Documents My i'm, Sorry CAN i,
help the daughter. Offers the assistant, smiles and the two
carry the stacks down the. Hallway and so the daughter
engages the. People she asks about their. Families she offers
to bring them. Coffee new workers are, welcome hard workers are. Applauded,
(20:55):
she through kindness and, concern raises the happiness level of
the entire. Company she does not even have to mention
her father's, NAME i mean never does she. Declare my
father says there is no need. To is she not his?
Child does she not speak on his? Behalf reflect his?
Heart when she, speaks they assume she speaks for, Him
(21:18):
and because they think highly of, her they think highly
of her. Father they've not seen, him they've not met,
him but they know his, child so they know his.
Heart as they come to the end of their. Flight
in the end of the, story the rabbi Asks Max,
lokato you know how the.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Story, Ends, NO i don't.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
How the daughter takes the elevator to the top floor
to see her. Father when she, arrives he is waiting
in the. Doorway he's aware of her good works and
has seen her kind. Acts people think more highly of
him because of, her and he knows. It and she,
approached and he greets her with six words words you
would never expect A jewish rabbi to, say since they
(22:06):
are the words Of jesus from The New. Testament well,
done good and faithful. Servant whether the rabbi knew it or,
not he was illustrating an incredibly biblical. Truth here it
is in another. Passage we, know, well let your light
(22:27):
so shine before, men that they may see your good,
works and tell everybody what a good guy you. Are,
no that they may see your good, works and what's
the rest of, it and glorify your, father who is in.
Heaven did you, know men and, women when we serve The.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Lord we glorify our.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Father when we serve The, lord we cause people to
say good things about the one we. Serve when we
glorify The father by our good. Works we are living
life at its highest, level where there is the greatest.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
JOY i Know i'm A.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
CHRISTIAN i Know i'm on my way to, heaven and Thank,
GOD i know What i'm supposed to do on the.
Journey if you aren't, there if you haven't arrived yet
at the knowledge of What god has called you to,
do make it your quest for. Life you can find
(23:30):
it out if you want to. Know some of you
will never go there because you don't want to find
out What god wants you to, do because then you'll
feel obligated to do. It but for most of, you
if you will just put your heart in this issue
and Ask god to help, you he will show you
What he wants you to, do and you can start
doing it.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
Immediately.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Amen you, know, FRIENDS i don't think it's possible to, really,
really really want to Know god's will for your life
and not find it. Out in, fact The bible actually
tells us that That he will show us what we
need to do if we come To him in the
right spirit and we come. Honestly AND i hope that
these four messages at the end of the series Of
(24:10):
revelation will impress upon your heart the importance of taking
what you now know and Asking god to give you
a path to walk on that will be an influential
path for. Others As i've said to, YOU i don't
want people just to be smarter about. HEAVEN i want
to take people to. Heaven AND i hope that's your
purpose and plan. Too whatever your gifts, are Whatever he's
(24:33):
created you to, do However he's made you differently from
all of the rest of, us there's a place in
your life for you to serve The. Lord find that
place and begin to do it, today and we'll Begin
august with that in our. Minds all, right thanks again
for being with. Us I'm David. JEREMIAH i have a great.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Day our message today originated From Shadow Mountain Community church
And doctorDavid, jeremiah the senior. Pastor if this ministry is
an encouragement to, you let us know by writing To
Turning POINT Po box thirty eight thirty, Eight San, Diego,
california nine two one sixty, three visiting our website At
(25:13):
davidjeremiah dot, Org Slash, radio or calling eight hundred nine
four seven nineteen ninety three ask for your copy Of
david's exciting new novel set in The End Times. Vanished
it's yours for a gift of any. Amount you can
also download the Free Turning point mobile app to instantly
access our, content or search in your app store for
(25:35):
the Keywords Turning point. Ministries Visit davidjeremiah dot org Slash
radio for. Details That's David jeremiah dot oorg Slash. Radio
this Is David Michael. Jeremiah join us tomorrow as we
begin the Series prayer The Great adventure On Turning point
With Doctor David. Jeremiah
The world says to put yourself first, take care of
number one, be assertive, But is that how God wants
you to live? Today? On Turning Point, doctor David Jeremiah
considers the incredible power of servanthood and putting the needs
of others ahead of your own. You won't glorify God
by serving yourself, but you will by serving others. Here's
(00:28):
David with the conclusion of his message, what can I Do?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
After our long and extended series on Revelation, we have
more information now than we've had before. We've learned a
lot of things from the Bible about the future, but
the future isn't here yet. So what do we do now?
How do we live our lives? And there are several
passages in the New Testament that speak to that issue.
We dealt with one of them from the Book of Romans,
and we're dealing with another one even as we open
(00:54):
our Bibles together today. Here is part two of what
can I Do? And we'll get to that in just
a moment. Before we get to this particular teaching, I
want to remind you again this is the last day
you can order your copy of the book vanished from
turning Point. Now this book is in bookstores all over
the country. It was released in the early days of July,
(01:18):
but you can get your copy from Turning Point for
a gift of any size. I hope you will help
us during the month of July. When you send your gift,
just simply say, please send me the book Vanished, and
it will be on its way. I think you'll be
intrigued by the book. It might keep you up at
night a couple of times if you're reading through it.
It will be a teaching tool and very helpful for
(01:38):
you to begin to feel the presence of this coming
event we call the Rapture once again. Vanished is yours
for a gift of any size during the month of July,
which ends officially today. So here is part two of
what to do until Jesus comes back? What can I do?
More instructions, more ideas, suggestions from the Bible. Now, one
(02:06):
of the things that gets in the way of our
serving the Lord is that somewhere along the way we
discover that serving the Lord involves serving other people. Did
you know you can't serve the Lord if you won't
serve other people? How do you serve God without serving people?
While I just serve him. Wow, well I just sort
(02:29):
of pastor. I don't know, I just serve him. No,
let me tell you something that I've discovered. Serving God
is serving people. The Bible teaches that. Calvin Miller writes, Unfortunately,
serving people is the only way by which we can
serve God, and serving people means that we are going
to get hurt in the process. If we are not careful,
(02:50):
the pain involved in our service can cause us ultimately
to despise those we once felt called to love. Charlie
Brown is right. We all want to serve God, but
it can be terribly degrading to serve people in order
to do it. That's true, isn't it. Have you ever
prayed this prayer? My friends? Here's where this whole bit
(03:11):
of serving the Lord begins.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Here's where it starts. Lord.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I don't know what you might have for me to
do in your kingdom, but I want you to know
that I am willing and available.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
To do it.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Usually, our willingness and our availability come first, and the
assignment comes second. Here's how it works. Here's the blank
sheet of paper. Sign your name at the bottom, say Lord,
you fill in the details.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
I'm ready.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
I've signed the contract, you fill in the provisions. That
sounds easy, but it's where the struggle is for most people.
I remember when I was coming up in the faith
and going to all these youth meetings and being called to,
you know, commit your life to the Lord. I heard
Romans twelve one and two about fifty times when I
(03:59):
was growing up. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice to God. And I wanted to serve God. There's
one thing that got in the way. I was absolutely
convinced that if I gave my life to Christ, he
would send me to Africa. Man, I didn't want to
go to Africa. I didn't know anything about Africa, but
it didn't sound like the place I wanted to go.
(04:21):
And you know, there are a lot of people that
grow up like that. They think, if I give God
absolute permission to take control of my life, he will
give me something to do that I don't want to do.
But you're missing at friends, he knows better than anyone
what makes you tick, what is going to wire you
with joy and excitement and adventure, And if you'll let
(04:42):
him have control of your life, he will give you
the desires of your heart. I don't say that carelessly.
The Bible says, commit your way unto the Lord. What's
the rest of it, and he will give you the
desires of your heart. Do you know what I'm doing today?
I'm doing what I love to do with all my heart.
(05:02):
What I would do if I could choose what to do.
But I didn't know that at the beginning God called
me to do what I love to do the gift
of availability. Notice secondly, the secret of authority. Everyone who
(05:24):
is serving is under the authority to someone else.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
You don't serve out of your own heart.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
You serve others under the direction. And that's the characteristic
of the scripture. Listen to the word of God. Jesus
came and spoke to them Matthew twenty eight, saying, all
authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
I have all authority. Now here's my command. Go into
all the world and preach the Gospel. When you serve,
(05:53):
you serve under the authority of someone. When Jesus was
at the first miracle that he prove formed in John two, Jesus'
mother said to the servants whatever he says to you
do it.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
That's a perfect illustration.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Matthew seven twenty one says, not everyone who says to me, Lord,
Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he
who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven.
And Luke six forty six says, why do you call
me lord? And do not the things that I say?
If you're going to be a servant, you're going to
serve someone, You're going to be under the authority of someone,
(06:32):
And I want to ask.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
You, is that an issue for you.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
There are a lot of folks today who don't want
to be under the authority to anyone. They don't want
to answer to anyone. My friend, if you're going to
serve the Lord, you will be under his authority. You
will do what he says. Now you don't have to
fear that he will not call you to do what
you do not want to do. There's a wonderful story
about missionary David Livingston.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Who was called Africa by the way.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
He was a British missionary who was deployed to Africa
in the nineteenth century. When he died from malaria and dysentery,
the African tribe in which he had lived, refused to
hand his body over to the British authorities for a
proper burial. Eventually they relented, but not before they cut
out his heart and put a note on his body
(07:21):
that said, you can have his body, but his heart
belongs to Africa. Livingstone's life was extraordinary, was filled with
missionary good works in the exploration of the gospel. And
above all, he knew that where he was was where
God wanted him to be, and he was under the
authority of the one who had called him there. He
(07:42):
wrote one time in one of his writings these words.
He says, people talk of the sacrifice I have made
in spending so much of my life in Africa. Is
that a sacrifice which brings its best reward in healthful activity,
the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, a bright
hope of a glorious destiny hereafter. By the way parentheses,
(08:05):
there are a lot of people caught up in the
American dream who would give anything just to have those
three things. Just have peace of mind, just have the
sense that they're doing something worthwhile. He found it in
a place God put him where most of us would
dread to even think about going. He wrote, away with
the word in such a view, Away with the word
of sacrifice. Away with such a thought. It is emphatically
(08:29):
no sacrifice, say real is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering,
or danger. Now and then, sometimes the foregoing of common
conveniences may make us pause and cause the spirit to
waver and the soul to sink. But let this only
be for a moment. All these are nothing when compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us.
(08:53):
Then he wrote, and I underlined it, I never made
a sacrifice. To serve under the authority of the Living
God is not a sacrifice. It's a privilege. The most
of the people I know who are doing that are joyful, happy,
fulfilled individuals, and we see it often when they come
(09:15):
home from the mission field to do their little furlough.
When you talk to them, all they talk about is
they can't wait to get back. Coming home is a
real irritation to most of them. They want to go
back and serve the Lord who has called them into service.
The secret of availability and authority. Then let me talk
(09:36):
with you for a moment about the secret of humility.
Jesus taught us how to serve. And I don't want
to read this passage because it's rather extended.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
And you know the story.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
It's the story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples.
The Bible tells us that on an occasion listen to this,
when his disciples were arguing with themselves over who was
the greatest in the kingdom, Jesus walked in and, without
saying a word, took off his outer garment, wrapped himself
with a towel, got down on his knees, and watched
(10:06):
all of their stinking, filthy feet one after the other.
Wouldn't you like to have been there for that moment?
I mean, just to see the contrast between these arrogant
disciples arguing over their place of prominence, and then the
one who had called him to serve bowing before them,
taking the place of a servant, and washing their feet.
(10:28):
And when he got all done, he said, as I
have done this, you should do it. Also, what was
Jesus telling them? He's telling them a servant serves. Jesus
came into this world to serve. The problem with being
a servant is that some of it is not easy.
(10:52):
Serving isn't always a walk in the park. Going to
Africa has its issues. I couldn't help but wonder what
the lack of conveniences was he was talking about. In
his little paragraph, Race Deedmond writes, loving people is about
the most difficult thing that some of.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
Us ever do.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
We could be patient with people and even be just
and charitable, but how are we supposed to conjure up
in our hearts that warm, effervescent sentiment of goodwill which
the New Testament calls love. Some people are so miserably unlovable.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
We all know what that means, don't we.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
You say, well, i'll serve God as long as it's
in a nice place with nice people and no issues,
don't sign up.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
There is no such place. Every place has its own issues.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
I mean you may say, well, look what you do,
pastor or look what you do. Oh yes, I have
a lot of wonderful things that God has done for me,
but I have my issues just like you do. Serving
God has its issues, And if you're going to serve God,
you've got to have a spirit of humility. That's such
(12:05):
an interesting word, isn't it. Humility. Nobody wants to talk
about it, because as soon as you talk about it,
people think you have it, and then you're not humble anymore.
You know, you heard about the book the guy wrote,
Humility and how I achieved it. You know, I don't
think so. True humility is not thinking less of yourself,
(12:26):
but it's thinking of yourself less. C. S. Lewis wrote,
do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man,
he will be what most people call humble nowadays. He
will not be a sort of greasy, swarmy person who's
always telling you that, of course he is nobody. Probably
all you will think about him is that he seemed
like a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest
(12:48):
in what you said to him. If you do dislike him,
it will be because you feel a little envious at
anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will
not be thinking about humility. He will not be thinking
about himself. He will just be who he is, loving
people and being himself. The secret of humility. So far
we have availability authority, the humility. Here's the fourth one,
(13:11):
the secret of responsibility. There's a parable in the New
Testament called the Parable of the Talents, where Jesus talks
about a certain nobleman who went into a far country
to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. And
he called ten of his servants and delivered unto them
his treasure, and said to them, do business till I come.
And this is a true parable for our situation today,
(13:32):
is it not. The Lord went back to heaven after
his crucifixion. He went back to heaven, and he is
given to each of us a stewardship of service. And
we are to serve knowing that one day he's coming back,
and we will give an account of our service. The
secret of availability, authority, humility, responsibility. Here's number five. The
(13:56):
secret of ability. Oh yes, ability. Matthew twenty five point
fifteen says, to one, he gave five talents, to another,
two to another, one to each according to his own.
What's the word class ability? Almighty God gives to each
of us a gift. He gives us an ability. A
(14:16):
gift is something he gives us when we're saved. Every
one of us has a special gift, and you should
figure out what that gift is. Romans says, through the
grace of God, we have different gifts. If our gift
is preaching, let us preach to the limit of our vision.
If our gift is serving, let us concentrate on our service.
(14:38):
If it is teaching, let us give all we have
to our teaching. And if our gift be the stimulating
of the faith of others, let us set ourselves to it.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Let the man who is called to give give freely.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Let the man in authority work with enthusiasm, and let
the man who feels sympathy for his fellows in distress
help them cheerfully. Here is the Book of Romans telling
us that God gives us every one an ability. You say, well, Pastor,
I can't do anything, Well, yes you can. I don't
know you. I can tell you on the authority of
the Word of God. If you're a Christian, you have
(15:10):
a gift that God has given you to serve. And
if you don't know what it is, it's not God's fault,
it's yours. You can figure it out. If you want
to the secret of ability, then there's the secret of accountability.
Accountability says that when the Lord comes back, you're going
to give.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
An account of what you've done.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Now, if you're a Christian, you will never again face
your sin. The Bible says that there is therefore now
no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. When
you accept Jesus Christ as your savior, he forgives all
your sin, past, president and future. You have to stay
in fellowship with him, but you will never face the
penalty for your sin. But the Bible tells us one
day we're going to stand before him at the judgment
(15:50):
seat of Christ to give an account of the works.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
We have done in the flesh. What does that mean?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
To give an account to the Lord of how we've
used our gifts? And I don't want I'm a stand
before the Lord someday and have him say, well, Jeremiah,
I gave you this gift.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
In this gift, what did you do with it?
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Well, Lord, I hid it because I was afraid somebody
wouldn't understand. Or Lord, I just never got around to
using it, or Lord, I just felt so inadequate.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Now, whatever the Lord.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
Gives you to do, you need to do it, because
one day you can him an account for what you've
done with the gift the Lord has given you. Finally,
there's the secret of fidelity. I love this. The Bible
tells us that fidelity is a two way Street. First
of all, there's our faithfulness to God. The Bible tells
us that if we serve the Lord, we are to
(16:42):
serve him with all of our hearts Hebrews six', Ten
john twelve twenty. Six The bible tells us That god
is going to be faithful to, us that he will
say to us one, day well, done good and faithful,
servant enter into the joy of Your. Lord it says
In First corinthians four to two that is required of, servant.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
That we be.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Faithful i've always thought about. That you, Know god hasn't
called me to be. Successful he's called me to be.
Faithful that mean that SOMETIMES i am, successful But i'm
not always. SUCCESSFUL i need to always be faithful to
do What god's called me to, do regardless of what,
happens or who appreciates it orho applauds it or who criticizes.
It to be faithful To, god that's my. Calling Max
(17:24):
locato's got a book he's written Called It's Not About.
Me and in this book he tells about a conversation
he had one day with An Orthodox jewish rabbi on
a flight across the.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Country this is a great.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Story somehow they began to talk about The, torah and
the rabbi began to wax eloquent With Max lokato about
the importance of Seeing Old testament truths through the eyes
of a story instead of just hearing the words of the.
Scripture and he Cited exodus twenty, seven thou shalt not
take the name of The lord Thy god in, Vain
(18:00):
and then he launched into this, story which he thought
was an illustration of this.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Verse here was the rabbi's.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Story he, said In, manhattan in a skyscraper was a
company where everyone worked for A ceo whose office was
on the top. Floor most of the people in the
building have never seen this, ceo but they know about
him because his daughter is in a prominent position in the.
(18:26):
Building and what do they know about the? Ceo one,
morning his daughter Approaches bert the guard and, Says i'm. Hungry,
bert go down the street and buy me A. Danish.
Well the demand Puts burt in a. Quandary he's on,
DUTY i, mean leaving his post puts the building at.
Risk but his boss's daughter, insists come on, now hurry.
(18:48):
Up what option does he have and he leaves and
he says nothing but thinks something like, This if the
daughter is so, bossy what does that say about her?
Father she's only getting started munching on her. Muffin she
bumps into a paper laden. Secretary where are you going
with all those? PAPERS i have them bound this afternoon
(19:09):
for a. Meeting forget the, meeting come to my office
and vacuum the. Carpet BUT i was, told And i'm
telling you something. Else the woman has no. CHOICE i,
mean after, all this is the boss's daughter. Speaking what
causes the secretary to question the wisdom of the? Daughter
and now what does this woman say about the wisdom
(19:33):
of her? Father and on the daughter, goes making, demands calling,
shots interrupting, schedules never invoking the name of her, dad
never leveraging her comments with my dad, said she doesn't need,
to isn't she the boss's? Child doesn't the child speak
for the? Father and So bert abandons his. Post an
(19:57):
assistant fails to finish a, task and more than one
employee questions the wisdom of the man. Upstairs does he
really know what he is? Doing they. Wonder The rabbi
pauses and looks At Max lolicato and, says but what
if the daughter acted, differently and then he proceeded to
recast the. Story rather than demand a muffin From, bert
(20:21):
she brings a muffin To. BERT i thought of you this,
Morning she, explains you arrive so, early do you have
time to?
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Eat and she hands him the.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Gift en route to the, elevator she bumps into the
woman with an armful of. Documents My i'm, Sorry CAN i,
help the daughter. Offers the assistant, smiles and the two
carry the stacks down the. Hallway and so the daughter
engages the. People she asks about their. Families she offers
to bring them. Coffee new workers are, welcome hard workers are. Applauded,
(20:55):
she through kindness and, concern raises the happiness level of
the entire. Company she does not even have to mention
her father's, NAME i mean never does she. Declare my
father says there is no need. To is she not his?
Child does she not speak on his? Behalf reflect his?
Heart when she, speaks they assume she speaks for, Him
(21:18):
and because they think highly of, her they think highly
of her. Father they've not seen, him they've not met,
him but they know his, child so they know his.
Heart as they come to the end of their. Flight
in the end of the, story the rabbi Asks Max,
lokato you know how the.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
Story, Ends, NO i don't.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
How the daughter takes the elevator to the top floor
to see her. Father when she, arrives he is waiting
in the. Doorway he's aware of her good works and
has seen her kind. Acts people think more highly of
him because of, her and he knows. It and she,
approached and he greets her with six words words you
would never expect A jewish rabbi to, say since they
(22:06):
are the words Of jesus from The New. Testament well,
done good and faithful. Servant whether the rabbi knew it or,
not he was illustrating an incredibly biblical. Truth here it
is in another. Passage we, know, well let your light
(22:27):
so shine before, men that they may see your good,
works and tell everybody what a good guy you. Are,
no that they may see your good, works and what's
the rest of, it and glorify your, father who is in.
Heaven did you, know men and, women when we serve The.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Lord we glorify our.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Father when we serve The, lord we cause people to
say good things about the one we. Serve when we
glorify The father by our good. Works we are living
life at its highest, level where there is the greatest.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
JOY i Know i'm A.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
CHRISTIAN i Know i'm on my way to, heaven and Thank,
GOD i know What i'm supposed to do on the.
Journey if you aren't, there if you haven't arrived yet
at the knowledge of What god has called you to,
do make it your quest for. Life you can find
(23:30):
it out if you want to. Know some of you
will never go there because you don't want to find
out What god wants you to, do because then you'll
feel obligated to do. It but for most of, you
if you will just put your heart in this issue
and Ask god to help, you he will show you
What he wants you to, do and you can start
doing it.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
Immediately.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Amen you, know, FRIENDS i don't think it's possible to, really,
really really want to Know god's will for your life
and not find it. Out in, fact The bible actually
tells us that That he will show us what we
need to do if we come To him in the
right spirit and we come. Honestly AND i hope that
these four messages at the end of the series Of
(24:10):
revelation will impress upon your heart the importance of taking
what you now know and Asking god to give you
a path to walk on that will be an influential
path for. Others As i've said to, YOU i don't
want people just to be smarter about. HEAVEN i want
to take people to. Heaven AND i hope that's your
purpose and plan. Too whatever your gifts, are Whatever he's
(24:33):
created you to, do However he's made you differently from
all of the rest of, us there's a place in
your life for you to serve The. Lord find that
place and begin to do it, today and we'll Begin
august with that in our. Minds all, right thanks again
for being with. Us I'm David. JEREMIAH i have a great.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Day our message today originated From Shadow Mountain Community church
And doctorDavid, jeremiah the senior. Pastor if this ministry is
an encouragement to, you let us know by writing To
Turning POINT Po box thirty eight thirty, Eight San, Diego,
california nine two one sixty, three visiting our website At
(25:13):
davidjeremiah dot, Org Slash, radio or calling eight hundred nine
four seven nineteen ninety three ask for your copy Of
david's exciting new novel set in The End Times. Vanished
it's yours for a gift of any. Amount you can
also download the Free Turning point mobile app to instantly
access our, content or search in your app store for
(25:35):
the Keywords Turning point. Ministries Visit davidjeremiah dot org Slash
radio for. Details That's David jeremiah dot oorg Slash. Radio
this Is David Michael. Jeremiah join us tomorrow as we
begin the Series prayer The Great adventure On Turning point
With Doctor David. Jeremiah
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