1 00:00:01,159 --> 00:00:05,879 Most of us eat every day, some of us too much because yesterday's food 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,679 is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then, do some 3 00:00:10,759 --> 00:00:15,599 of us expect yesterday's portion of heavenly manna the word of God to keep us 4 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:20,280 through today's challenges. On this program, we are going to change all that. 5 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:26,120 Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need to live healthy, 6 00:00:26,199 --> 00:00:31,800 vibrant lives. Welcome to your Daily Portion with your host, author speaker 7 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:34,920 L. David Harris. Good morning, Good morning, Good morning. It 8 00:00:35,039 --> 00:00:40,000 is Wednesday, September six, two twenty three. Hello, my name is 9 00:00:40,079 --> 00:00:42,840 L. David Harris. I am your host, and this is your Daily 10 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,880 Portion where we give you God's word every single day, and today is no 11 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:52,840 exception. We are continuing in our lesson study series through the Book of Ephesians. 12 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:58,600 Our captions for today is slaves of Christ. And I know some people 13 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,320 don't like that term slave. Maybe I don't either, Okay, I don't 14 00:01:02,359 --> 00:01:06,959 either, But I understand what the Bible is saying here, and we'll get 15 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,319 into that in just a moment. And I know that it will change our 16 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:14,120 perspective if we accept it. But before we get into that, I'd like 17 00:01:14,159 --> 00:01:17,519 to just say happy, happy, like middle of the week day. I 18 00:01:17,599 --> 00:01:19,120 know people call it something else, but I don't like that word either. 19 00:01:19,519 --> 00:01:25,359 Let me stop getting distracted here. Let me please invite you to your Daily 20 00:01:25,439 --> 00:01:30,000 Portion dot Com. There you can join our online community and pick up the 21 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:34,280 Your Daily Portion book to be delivered wherever you are. Yes, at your 22 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:40,359 Daily Portion dot Com. This is how we build faith and fellowship. Let's 23 00:01:40,359 --> 00:01:44,200 go ahead and pray and then we will get underway. Father in heaven, 24 00:01:44,239 --> 00:01:47,239 thank you for giving us this new day and for the privilege that you have 25 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:52,680 entrusted to us, to give us your spirit, to give us your word. 26 00:01:53,079 --> 00:01:57,519 And I pray that we will maximize every moment here. Father, please 27 00:01:57,519 --> 00:02:01,120 fill us with your holy spirit in Jesus name, I pray, Amen and 28 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:07,280 Amen again. Listen, every one of us is a servant to something or 29 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:13,240 someone or both. Some people serve their bellies, right. Have you ever 30 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,840 heard of people who are struggling with overeating? Right? Some people serve the 31 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:22,439 addiction to certain things on the Internet. You just can't stop flipping zoom zoom 32 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:28,280 zoom, like it actually drives me crazy. When they changed how some of 33 00:02:28,319 --> 00:02:30,199 the platforms worked, where as soon as you open it up, it starts 34 00:02:30,199 --> 00:02:35,680 playing videos and as soon as you're done watching something maybe you do intend to 35 00:02:35,719 --> 00:02:38,520 watch, then it just serves you up another one and you just zoom zoom, 36 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:43,319 and I'm like, whoa wait a minute. Yeah, some people serve 37 00:02:43,439 --> 00:02:46,120 that though they like it, they're addicted to it. Some of us are 38 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:52,879 servants to our spouses, our children in a good way, right leadership. 39 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:57,800 In leadership, you're a servant leader, like we are all servants of something. 40 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:06,639 Some unfortunately are still serving sin. Are servants to obey every evil inclination 41 00:03:06,719 --> 00:03:10,879 that comes into our minds. Everybody is going to be a servant to someone 42 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:17,360 or slave. Okay, I know slave only comes with negative connotations and most 43 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:22,000 of our minds, including mine, But what we want to do is change 44 00:03:22,039 --> 00:03:28,719 the perspective and say servant servant. If we are serving God, that is 45 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,759 positive. If you're at an upscale restaurant and someone comes to you and asks 46 00:03:32,879 --> 00:03:37,960 to take your order and then does whatever they need to do to make your 47 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:44,759 experience positive, that servant or servant is someone positive in our minds. And 48 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:49,479 so when we are servants to God, we are saying, Lord, whatever 49 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:53,439 it is that you would have me to do. I will do it as 50 00:03:53,479 --> 00:03:55,879 long as you empower me to do so. And so. In the Bible 51 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,840 Ephesians chapter six, beginning at verse five, the Bible reads, servants, 52 00:04:00,919 --> 00:04:05,240 be obedient to them that are your masters, according to the flesh, with 53 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:11,120 the fear and trembling and singleness of your heart, as unto Christ, not 54 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:15,240 with eye service. We read about this the other day as men pleasers, 55 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,040 but as the servants of Christ. And so, Really, what we're talking 56 00:04:18,079 --> 00:04:24,279 about now is what is our perspective when God speaks, when he gives us 57 00:04:24,319 --> 00:04:29,959 his guidance and his will, do we respond favorably? Do we allow him 58 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:33,680 to lead us? Yes? Okay, but as servants to Christ, doing 59 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:39,480 the will of God from the heart? So service to the people we serve. 60 00:04:39,639 --> 00:04:43,839 If it's someone who's a supervisor, or even if you are an entrepreneur 61 00:04:43,959 --> 00:04:47,680 or business owner and you have clients, customers, and so forth people you 62 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:54,480 serve, are you doing it as unto the Lord or are you only doing 63 00:04:54,519 --> 00:05:00,600 it to get the money? You see the difference here with good will seven, 64 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:05,639 doing service as to the Lord and not to men. Eight and final, 65 00:05:06,199 --> 00:05:12,759 knowing that whatsoever good thing any person or man do with the same shall 66 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,800 he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Notice, 67 00:05:16,879 --> 00:05:21,240 the Bible didn't say that we have to become buddy buddy with those that we 68 00:05:21,319 --> 00:05:27,439 serve in terms of our employers or our clients. He didn't say that we 69 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:32,399 have to find some like rose colored lenses and say this is a wonderful experience 70 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:38,439 all the time, when sometimes it is actually challenging. But he did say 71 00:05:38,519 --> 00:05:44,879 that when we are serving, we are serving as unto the Lord. Like 72 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:48,279 imagine, And I don't want to be sacrilegious, so please just pardon me 73 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:54,279 for this. Imagine the essence of who God is. We don't know how 74 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:59,800 he looks, so we can't say his face, but just imagine his presence 75 00:06:00,399 --> 00:06:05,120 superimposed over the face of the individuals you're serving, right, those who are 76 00:06:05,199 --> 00:06:10,360 hungry, ha, those who are in need of clothing and shelter. Me. 77 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:15,199 I'm enamored by the opportunity to help individuals who have a certain other need. 78 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:19,759 I won't get into today, but I need to imagine. I need 79 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:28,000 to see in those individuals the presence of God. So when I see that 80 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,160 supervisor, if I did have one, when I see those clients, when 81 00:06:31,199 --> 00:06:35,959 I see those individuals who need some nurture or care in some other way. 82 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:41,959 From me, I am to see the presence of God. Jesus said, 83 00:06:42,399 --> 00:06:46,120 as you have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you 84 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:49,720 have also done it unto me. So the concept is clear in scripture that 85 00:06:49,759 --> 00:06:56,040 when we are in motion on planet Earth and we are serving in any way, 86 00:06:56,360 --> 00:07:00,160 we need to see it as if we are serving God himself. Oh 87 00:07:00,319 --> 00:07:03,399 and by the way, because we are so, I'm going to give you 88 00:07:03,439 --> 00:07:06,600 a few takeaways, a few takeaways. If we have the time. I'll 89 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:15,600 get to seven takeaways concerning this right. Simple takeaways from the Slaves of Christ 90 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:19,800 the text that we could have considered for today. Number one, purposeful work. 91 00:07:20,399 --> 00:07:24,800 That is a takeaway. We need to be purposeful in our work. 92 00:07:24,879 --> 00:07:30,600 Approach every task, no matter how small, with purpose and dedication. Bible 93 00:07:30,639 --> 00:07:34,920 says in Colossians chapter three, in verse twenty three, And whatsoever ye do 94 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:40,639 do it hardily, as unto the Lord and not unto humans. Verse I 95 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:46,839 mean not verse but number two inner rewards. Look within for validation, meaning 96 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,240 God puts this in you. He puts it in you. Look within for 97 00:07:50,399 --> 00:07:57,360 validation and fulfillment, rather than relying on an external praise people who are looking 98 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:00,519 for external praise, and if you do get it, that is your reward. 99 00:08:00,839 --> 00:08:05,160 But really what we're looking for is the awareness that when the indwelling Christ 100 00:08:05,199 --> 00:08:11,680 through the Holy Spirit is satisfied and pleased, that should be our reward. 101 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:18,480 Number three Respect for all. Treat everyone, regardless of status or position, 102 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:26,839 with genuine respect. Number four higher calling in every endeavor. Remember you're serving 103 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:33,399 a greater mission or purpose beyond just the task at hand. Some people are 104 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:37,440 just happy to tick off the list. I did it, I served. 105 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:39,360 Okay, Now what's next to? No? No, no, no, 106 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:43,240 no no. The Bible teaches us in Philippians chapter three, in verse fourteen, 107 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:48,799 I pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God 108 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:54,159 in Christ Jesus. That is our calling, a high calling in Christ, 109 00:08:54,279 --> 00:08:58,120 Jesus of God. Okay, verse I mean. Number five. Acknowledge everyone's 110 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:03,720 value. Every individual has worth, recognize it, and celebrate it. How 111 00:09:03,759 --> 00:09:09,440 do we know because the Bible said God created us all in his image. 112 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:13,799 He created humanity in his image and in his likeness. So we recognize that 113 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:20,279 and acknowledge everyone's value. Number six Stay committed, Stay true to your values 114 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:26,039 and beliefs even in challenging situations. And number seven and final seek growth. 115 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:33,720 Use every experience, good or challenging as an opportunity for personal and spiritual growth. 116 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:39,879 Yeah. Remember to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord 117 00:09:39,879 --> 00:09:43,960 and Savior, Jesus Christ, as we serve as unto Christ. Of a 118 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:48,519 wonderful day. Thanks for joining us listening. Friends. Always remember we cannot 119 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:52,320 live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of 120 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:56,200 God. This has been your daily portion with L. David Harris. Make 121 00:09:56,240 --> 00:10:00,320 it a great day.