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His Disciples

By Steve T. on June 24, 2011

One of the last commands Jesus gave was to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). The making of a disciple is the complete work of the Holy Spirit; but we are told to join in this work by teaching people to believe in the sacrifice of Jesus for the forgiveness of sin, to humbly submit control of their life into His hands, and to “obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20).

God’s Word contains the complete description of what it means to believe, submit, and obey. Jesus taught extensively on each of these issues. But the single command which will have the greatest impact on the world around us is the command to love.

John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

The phrase “As I have loved you” ought to rip at our heart. Though there was nothing in us to deserve His love, Jesus gave His life. And long before He gave His physical life, He gave something even greater; He “made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:7). Jesus loved enough to give up who He was for those completely unlovable; and this is the level of love we are called to demonstrate to one another.

We are called to a sacrificial love – a love that gives and considers the needs of others ahead of our own. We are called to give our time, our tears, our understanding, and even our material resources when necessary. We are called to love enough to rejoice when others rejoice, but also to hurt when others hurt, and to forgive simply because Jesus first forgave us. We are called to love!

But notice why we are called to such love. Our love for others is certainly an expression of gratitude to God and a maturing process as we grow into the likeness of Christ, but Jesus also says our love for others is the one sure way of telling the world we are followers of Christ. Our love becomes an act of worship because, through love, we are boldly declaring Jesus is Lord! As we love – even when others may not “deserve” our love – we actively show the world the joy and peace found only in Jesus.

The world is overflowing with people who need love, who have run out of hope, longing for someone to let them know they care. We are those who must care! We must reach out to one another with a love that defies all worldly wisdom and understanding. We must love as Jesus loved us. This love will be used to work miracles; this love will bring glory and honor to our Heavenly Father; this love will show the world that we are truly His disciples.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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His Gentle Knock

By Steve T. on June 24, 2011

In the message “The Most Holy Place” we saw how Jesus became the final sacrifice for our sin. When Jesus died on the cross, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51). The curtain had, up to that point, formed a barrier for the Most Holy Place in the temple where God resided with His people. The tearing of the curtain was a clear demonstration that anyone who believes in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin can now enter the presence of God; “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19).

We are a fortunate people! Not since Adam has man had such access to the presence of God. We no longer need a priest with a specific sacrifice, and we need not pray a specific prayer – but there IS a condition. The Most Holy Place of the presence of God can only be entered by those who come by faith in Jesus Christ. If we desire the presence of God, we must first open the door of our heart.

Revelation 3:20
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.”

Here is contained the great mystery of God’s plan for man. He desires a people who recognize their need, hear His voice, and open the door to invite Him in. He then promises to enter and “set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 1:22). This is His sovereign, majestic, and glorious plan.

God’s Word never indicates that Jesus will crash through the door of our heart; He’s never pictured as huffing and puffing to blow the door down. And He certainly NEVER sneaks in through a side window! He simply and patiently stands at the door and knocks – He says, “I am here. Won’t you invite Me in?”

Opening the door involves an understanding of who Jesus is, as related to our need for forgiveness, and an act of submission which releases control of our life. We may hear His voice through something someone says or something we read – we may “hear” Him knocking as we sit in silence – but when we hear, we must be willing to open the door; “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15).

Many people will hear the knock of Jesus, but few will open the door. Most will spend a lifetime evaluating the knock and analyzing the One who is knocking; some will even push a little food onto the front porch; but few will actually recognize their need and open the door. Let’s invite Him in today and commune with Him EVERY day for all eternity. Today, let’s answer His gentle knock.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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The Most Holy Place

By Steve T. on June 24, 2011

One of the amazingly consistent themes through all of God’s Word is His desire to fellowship with His children. When God created Adam and placed him in the Garden of Eden, Adam was allowed to enjoy God’s presence. God brought Adam the animals to name (Genesis 2:19) and actually walked with Adam during the day. However, this fellowship was broken and man was cast out of God’s presence when Adam sinned by eating the forbidden fruit.

Many years later, God formed the nation of Israel to be a people fully devoted to Him. When God led the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery, He told Moses to construct a holy place for His presence to reside. God called this the Most Holy Place and instructed that it be separated from the rest of the tabernacle by a curtain.

Leviticus 16:2
“The Lord said to Moses: ‘Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.'”

The presence of God resided in the Most Holy Place, behind a curtain, and could only be entered by the High Priest once a year on the Day of Atonement. The High Priest would enter the Most Holy Place with the blood of a goat as a sacrifice for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:15).

God loved us so much, and so greatly desired a lasting and intimate fellowship, that He gave His Son to be the final sacrifice for our sins: “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).

When Jesus died on the cross, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51). His sacrifice provided a way for us to enter into the presence of God at any moment; “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19).

God is calling us to reach out and draw near to His presence through faith in the sacrifice of His Son. The Creator of the Universe is knocking at the door; “If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). Our Heavenly Father is calling us to an eternity of fellowship. Let’s open the door and enter His presence today. Let’s confidently enter the Most Holy Place.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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The True Peace of God

By Steve T. on June 24, 2011

We are all striving toward the “successful” life, though our definitions of success may often differ. Many of us place our effort in obtaining more and better things, reaching a higher status, or building greater security. Others involve themselves in more “spiritual” endeavors with ministry activities and service projects. But the root motivation for all our effort is the same – we all are seeking a life full of peace.

Unfortunately, the world trains us to simply set and then exceed our goals without ever taking the time to examine what our heart really longs for…we long for peace! I’m certainly not opposed to goals; but we must understand that meeting every single goal, by itself, will NEVER result in peace.

The lack of peace is, first and foremost, the result of our sinful condition. When man first chose to place his desire ahead of God’s perfect plan, sin entered the world and true peace became illusive; “when you eat of it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17). We will never obtain true peace through different governments, nor can we purchase or create peace by changing our surroundings. Peace begins with the forgiveness of sin through faith in Jesus and grows as we live in submission to the Holy Spirit; “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6).

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he said those who have placed their faith in Jesus now have a basic formula for a life of peace.

Philippians 4:4-7
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Our formula for peace is: (1) Rejoice, (2) Rejoice some more, (3) Be gentle, (4) Know God is near, (5) Remove all anxiety, and (6) Pray about everything with a thankful heart. Jesus promised that those who trust in Him will receive a peace beyond anything this world can understand: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

If our lives are lacking peace, the ONLY solution is to draw nearer to God, trust Him more, and rejoice (and rejoice and rejoice) as we are guided by His Spirit. Only then will we find the “success” for which we have been striving; only then will we obtain that for which what our heart longs…the true peace of God!

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Our Spiritual Walls

By Steve T. on June 24, 2011

Nehemiah lived in the days following the Israelite captivity in Babylon. The first captives had been allowed to return to Jerusalem and reconstruct the temple. However, those who returned had left the walls of the city in great disrepair. When Nehemiah heard this discouraging report, he asked permission of the king to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the once mighty walls.

Nehemiah’s request was granted. He traveled to Jerusalem in the year 445 BC and motivated the people to rebuild the walls in record time. But Nehemiah discovered there was more broken in Jerusalem than just physical walls. It had been many years since the people truly worshipped God – spiritual walls were now in desperate need of mending.

Nehemiah knew the only way toward spiritual repair was through the Word of God. He gathered the people and they wept as Ezra read God’s Word “from daybreak till noon” (Nehemiah 8:3). For seven days, Ezra continued to read. On the eighth day, walls began to mend as the people “spent another quarter {of the day} in confession and worshipping the Lord” (Nehemiah 9:3). True repair occurred as they recommitted their lives to following the commands of God.

Nehemiah 10:29
“All these now bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses…and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord.”

Our world continues to change. Nations continue to build physical walls and attack one another while showing little concern for the spiritual walls which protect from the real enemy. Years of neglect, and large scale drifting from God’s path, have left our spiritual walls cracked and vulnerable. Our families are seldom led by God and our courts make laws without seeking His counsel. Attacks come from every direction and our defenses are weak!

The repair of our spiritual walls will not occur at the national level. Governments have become too large and diverse to even recognize this need. But we have the opportunity all around the world to rebuild, one individual, one family, one church, and one community at a time. We have the ability to repair the portion of wall within our circle of influence. Together, we CAN rebuild and strengthen!!

As in the time of Nehemiah, we must return to a passion for the Word of God. His Word reveals His eternal plan through faith in His Son, and guidance and strength for our daily walk through obedient submission to His Spirit. Let’s become people dedicated to study and prayer, and allow each day of our lives to be led by God’s Spirit. Let’s make a lasting commitment to focus on the eternal and rebuild our spiritual walls.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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What The Lord Has Provided

By Steve T. on June 10, 2011

As a young teenage boy, David showed a deep understanding of God’s strength as he prepared to fight Goliath; “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37). The understanding that God was fighting the battle allowed David to confidently approach Goliath with nothing more than a sling and a few stones; “This day the Lord will hand you over to me” (1 Samuel 17:46).

After many years of being pursued by king Saul, David continued to demonstrate his belief that every victory he enjoyed came as a direct result of God’s hand.

The Amalekites had raided the village where David and his men were living. Under God’s promise of victory, David set off with six hundred men to battle the enemy and take back their stolen possessions; but two hundred of the men were too tired to join the fight. After the victorious battle, the four hundred who fought wanted to exclude the two hundred who stayed behind; “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered” (1 Samuel 30:22). But David reminded them Who really won the battle.

1 Samuel 30:23
“No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and handed over to us the forces that came against us.”

David understood it wouldn’t have mattered whether four hundred or forty, or even four, had gone into battle – it wouldn’t have mattered whether the men were skilled or unskilled – the battle would have been won. The battle was won because of God’s promise and His provision, not because of the men’s ability.

As we see the battle approaching, we must draw even closer to our Heavenly Father. He has given us abilities which we must use, but then we must place all our trust in Him for the results. If the battle appears to be a failure, we must trust that God is in control and working toward His good and perfect plan. When God is in control, there are no failures as viewed through His eyes. And if the battle appears to be victorious, we must not allow our pride to take credit for the work God has done – for this always results in failure, regardless of our perception of victory.

God owns ALL and provides ALL. He owns our possessions, our relationships, and our ministries. He owns our abilities as well as our lack, our successes as well as our failures. As we come through our next battle (and we will!) – in fact, even in the midst of the battle – let’s return the ownership and give Him all the glory. We must never attempt to control or hold tight to what the Lord has provided.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Remember The Eternal

By Steve T. on June 10, 2011

Heavenly Father, we pray for comfort and peace for those directly affected by the tragic events this week. For those who lost loved ones, we pray that You would become their refuge and source of strength. For the children who lost a parent, we pray their hearts would remain tender and receptive to Your Word. We pray for those searching for answers. Please reveal Your truth and help us all to understand that apart from You, there is nothing! In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.

This prayer was originally distributed after a major tragedy in which many people died. Unfortunately, it could also be a prayer for every day of the year because of the thousands who die in accidents, or as a result of senseless violence or disease, or because of starvation or addiction to drugs, or due to the tragedy of war. So many lives seem needlessly shortened. But even life which reaches its “full-potential” is incredibly short: “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). As I continue to “mature” in age, this truth becomes more and more real. Our time is short!

When world tragedy occurs we ought to sincerely pray for those affected; it’s not often the whole world can pray for a specific group of people. And when individual tragedy occurs we ought to sincerely pray and seek ways to comfort those in need. But we also should take a moment to consider the frailty and brevity of life, and how our priorities reflect this truth. We must strive for a firmer understanding that anything outside the will of God will one day fade away. Any other “god” who receives our worship in the form of excess time, thought, energy, or resources will most surely burn and be swept aside.

1 Corinthians 7:29,31
“What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on…those who use the things of the world, {use them} as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.”

No matter how many times I read these truths of God’s Word, I know I don’t yet fully understand. I know our time is short, but I continually gain my identity and become engrossed in my toys. Father forgive me!

If there is any good to come out of tragedy, it will only be as we resolve to “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen” (2 Corinthians 4:18a). We must allow events such as these to firmly establish that “what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18b).

It’s time we turn our heart to God in true revival and do ALL as unto the Lord. We can no longer give our lives to what is temporary and passing away. It’s time we unashamedly worship Him and follow where He leads. It’s time we draw close to His presence and remember the eternal.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Heart Full of Passion

By Steve T. on June 10, 2011

In the message “A God of Convenience” we were encouraged to be true worshipers who walk with God every day and refuse to put Him “on the shelf.” We must never become people who worship with our lips, but have hearts which are far from God (Isaiah 29:13). We need to be careful not to stray from the path of devoted love to become entangled in the weeds and thorns of selfish convenience.

But how can we guard against such wandering? How can we recognize when we are beginning to stray? And how can we return to the place we truly desire?

The answer to these questions will always be found in a deep and passionate love! Our relationship with God is not based on an exercise of our intellect, but on a transformation of our heart. Our relationship began with a work of the Spirit as our heart became His. It must now continue as we walk so close that our only desire is to give Him ALL our heart – to give Him what is already His.

After years of successful rule, David’s kingdom was now in total rebellion. His son, Absalom, was attempting to become the new king and had forced David to flee into the desert. With his life’s work falling apart, and far from his home and place of worship, David turned to God and gave us a clear picture of Godly passion.

Psalm 63:1-4
“O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands.”

Although it may be difficult to maintain this level of passion every moment of the day, this IS the relationship to which we have been called. This is worship! We must realize that this world is a “dry and weary land” when compared to walking in His presence. We must long for God’s love more than life itself and seek to glorify Him in all we do.

If this type of relationship sounds foreign – maybe even a little radical – then I invite you to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). He will pour out His blessings on those who step out in faith and truly give Him their heart. If you already understand this relationship but realize the passion has faded, then I boldly exhort you to return. Return to what you know will truly satisfy – to what you know is eternal, imperishable. Let’s all return to the place of true worship. Let’s all draw near and worship with a heart full of passion.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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A God of Convenience

By Steve T. on June 10, 2011

Paul had been arrested and sent to Caesarea to stand trial before Governor Felix. During his trial, Paul spoke of his worship of God and belief in His Word. Felix kept Paul in prison, but often talked with him about his faith.

Acts 24:24-25
“He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, ‘That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.'”

Governor Felix had the ability to hear the gospel from the greatest theologian of all time and yet failed to act on what he heard.

Several years earlier, Herod had arrested John the Baptist for speaking against his marriage (Herod was married to his own brother’s wife). Though Herod wanted to kill John, he also feared and respected him because he was a righteous and holy man: “When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him” (Mark 6:20). Herod liked to listen to John’s uncompromising message of repentance, and yet he failed to act on what he heard.

When Jesus was arrested, Pilate came face to face with the Son of God. He heard Jesus calmly claim to be King of the Jews and to have special favor from God; “You would have no power over Me if it were not given to you from above” (John 19:11). Pilate listened to Jesus, found no fault, and tried to set Him free (John 19:12); but in the end, Pilate failed to act on the truth.

Most of us experience a wonderful religious freedom today. We have free access to God’s Word and can usually find a local church willing to preach the truth. Yet, how often do we fail to act on what we receive? How often do our religious activities become cold and mechanical, lacking any real interest? “These people come near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me” (Isaiah 29:13).

If our worship does not invade every area of our life, then God is not on the throne of our life. We must trust Him in ALL things! We ought to have a passion for His Word as well as an uncompromising willingness to act. We should long for His presence and obediently follow each and every day – not just during our once a week worship.

Let’s NEVER put God on the shelf or ask Him to be “on-call.” He’s the Creator of the Universe who has called us to a committed life of full time worship. Let’s follow where He leads and never treat our Heavenly Father as a God of convenience.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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The Sin of Arrogance

By Steve T. on June 4, 2011

In the message “Give Him All The Glory” we considered how Joseph recognized his ability to interpret dreams was only by God’s grace; “God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires” (Genesis 41:16). We were also reminded of Paul’s words to the Corinthians, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7), and the words of Jesus, “apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Giving all glory to God reflects an understanding of who we are in Christ and, more importantly, who He is in us!

As we see the multitude of sin in the world today, sin which causes such pain, we must be reminded that all sin can be traced to pride and a lack of humility. All sin is rooted in arrogance, a self-exaltation where we think of ourselves and our abilities more highly than we should, and, in the end, we attempt to elevate ourselves above God.

James wrote about this arrogance when he said, “do not slander one another” (James 4:11). He said when we are unfairly critical of others we not only disobey God’s law of love, but we are actually speaking against God’s law and sitting in judgment over the law – and there is only one Judge! (James 4:11-12). Willful disobedience involves elevating ourselves to the throne of God and judging which of His truths apply to our life. This is the ultimate arrogance!

Isaiah 14:13-15
“You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.”

This passage may be referring to Satan, or an earthly king in the time of Isaiah. It may also have a dual interpretation. Either way, the passage clearly details the true heart of pride as well as the end result for such a heart. Isaiah is warning us all about the danger of attempting to raise ourselves to the level of God. After all, this temptation is what caused the fall of all mankind in the Garden of Eden; “when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5).

We must continue to examine our heart and aggressively cut away all areas of pride before they infect and contaminate our whole being. Can we ever get rid of all pride? Can we ever cease all sin? I don’t believe we can! But I know that on the day we see Him face to face, we will be fully transformed, fully glorified, and fully able to praise Him for all eternity. Until the day He calls us home, we must continually say, “He must become greater, I must become less” (John 3:30). Until that day, we must diligently battle the sin of arrogance.

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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So The World May Know

By Steve T. on June 3, 2011

In the message “The Mind of Christ” we considered our call to walk according to the new life we have been given. We then looked at several aspects of Jesus’ life as our solid example to follow. We saw His desire to serve and glorify the Father; but probably the most challenging aspect of Jesus’ life was His ability to forgive; “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

The walk of a Christian is a life-long process of being transformed into the likeness of Jesus. This process brings us continually closer to God and, in a very real way, shows the gospel message to the world. There is no clearer demonstration of a transformed heart and true love for Christ than when we forgive one another. The simple fact that it’s so difficult makes forgiveness a blazing light into a dark and dying world. The unity obtained through forgiveness causes those in the world to be drawn closer to Christ.

John 17:23
“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.”

Being united is never a call to compromise the essential truths of the gospel; but it is clearly a call to put aside quarreling over trivial issues and stamp out all jealously, envy and, one of the greatest evils known to man, pride! Pride keeps more people separated from God and more relationships locked in unforgiveness than any other sin.

Continued forgiveness demonstrates the gospel because it requires us to honestly face our pride, place our trust in God, and walk in absolute humility. Forgiveness is not something we can do in our own strength. When we’ve been wounded, unfairly treated and misunderstood, our pride wants things to be “even” – it demands the other person to confess, repent, and bow to kiss OUR feet. True forgiveness of others brings us back to the cross where we must confess the ugliness of our heart, acknowledge our need for His forgiveness, and, once again, remove ourselves from the throne of control.

Continued forgiveness requires a daily crucifixion of our fleshly, pride-filled self, and a submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It requires a complete trust in our Heavenly Father to continue the process He has begun in our life and to fully work in the life of others according to His perfect timing. This is a life which definitely shines and causes the world to notice.

Let’s take a new look at any unforgiveness and determine once and for all to give it to the Lord. Let’s glorify our Father and become a living example of the gospel. Let’s live in unity through love and forgiveness…so the world may know!

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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The Mind of Christ

By Steve T. on May 31, 2011

In the message “Stand Our Ground” we began with a statement that our Christian walk involves a process of renewing our mind. Paul wrote to the Romans about this renewal as an on-going process of transformation (Romans 12:2). He also wrote about a renewed mind as something which has already occurred; “But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).

The consistent message through all the New Testament is that through faith in Jesus we are given a new birth, with a new heart, a new Spirit, and a new mind. However, we are continually exhorted to live as a new creation, worship with a new heart, receive guidance and strength from a new Spirit, and make decisions and set priorities with a new mind. We must learn to walk according to the transformed life we have been granted!

Philippians 2:5
“Your attitude (or mind in the KJV) should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

Jesus came to give His life as a sacrifice for sin. But many portions of His life were for the express purpose of giving us an example by which to live. With all the power of the Universe at His command, He humbled Himself and demonstrated the mind and attitude of a servant; “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28).

The Son demonstrated a mind of obedience and lived to honor His Father in ALL He did – even though being obedient might result in discomfort or pain…or even death: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).

As He obediently served, Jesus also demonstrated a mind void of all pride. With more abilities than we can possibly comprehend, Jesus still gave all the glory to His Father; “By Myself I can do nothing…for I seek not to please Myself but Him who sent Me” (John 5:30). His entire life became an example of how we are to be an empty vessel through which God may work.

Moments before He died – after being beaten, whipped, spit upon and nailed to a cross – Jesus still demonstrated the mind of supreme love and forgiveness; “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

Though we know we have far to go, the mind of Christ becomes our example to follow. We must develop the mind of a humble servant, void of pride, who desires nothing more than for our Heavenly Father to work in and through our life. Let’s live as His Child, loving and forgiving others as Christ first loved and forgave us. Let’s continue to be transformed, and more fully develop the mind of Christ.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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