Dear Partner,
How are you, yours and all that God has committed?to your care? I trust you are living in the fullness of the Blessing we have in Christ Jesus. Nothing less than the Blessing for me, mine and all that the Father has committed into my care. That should be your declaration too!
In the Freshdew Circle of Partnership, we stand together with like precious faith, we access the grace wherein we stand. Hallelujah.
Today, I want to share with you my thoughts on having the liberty to service. To many, the expression: “liberty to serve” seems like an oxymoron as the?concept of service is far removed from the concept of liberty or freedom. For many believers, service is an obligation done as a matter of religious duty to score heavenly points or please someone. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Whose we are and Whom we serve, shows us another way.?
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s?son,?to betray Him,
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,
4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.?
5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe?them?with the towel with which He was girded.
6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And?Peter?said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”?
7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”
8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also?my?hands and?my?head!”?
10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash?his?feet but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”
11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”?
12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you??
13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for?so?I am.?
14 If I then,?your?Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.?
15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.?
16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is
sent greater than he who sent him.
17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
John 13:1-17 NKJV
Liberty means freedom, the power or scope to act as one pleases.
Serve means to render service. [Service is an act of assistance, the action of helping or doing work for someone].
Introduction:
Jesus said that for us to be great in His Kingdom (starting with our lives here on earth), we have to be the?least. He demonstrated this in his actions of washing the disciples’ feet. The Master served His followers. That is the liberty to serve. Too many leaders are not servants. Leaders in the Churches, Leaders in Government, Leaders in families – a true leader has the liberty, the freedom to serve.
The Liberty To Serve Has Its Roots In The Love Of God
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
John 13:1 NKJV
Some people say, “Oh Pastor, Oh my mother, Oh my spouse, Oh my big sister, I love you until the end!” Mere words! What does that mean: “To love someone to the end?” Jesus showed us what true love means.
Only those who love God and love people with the love of God can truly serve. Service is selfless and so is God’s love. God’s love is selfless, puts others first, does not demand a reward or payment. Service is being willing to give up one’s comfort, valuables, time, fame, just for the good of someone else.
Selfishness is one of the greatest oppositions to service. Selfishness is when you put yourself first. Selfishness asks these questions: How would I look? What?would people say? What might I lose? Jesus did not consider all these when He girded Himself and washed His?disciples’ feet. It is HUMAN NATURE to be selfish but it is not DIVINE NATURE. If we are God’s children, we should have His nature.
The Liberty To Serve Is Found In Those Who Know Where They Are Coming From And Have A Destination
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His?hands and that He had come from God and was going to God,?
John 13:3 NKJV
Service is found at all the junctions on your road to success and promotion. If however, you do not have a destination in your life, you will find it difficult to serve.?
People who are roaming around with “NO FUTURE AMBITION” can be very arrogant and refuse to serve others. They may carry out apparent “acts and actions of service” as a duty or for what they can get, but the ATTITUDE of service is far from their hearts and minds even as they grudgingly carry out such acts. You will find it hard to come and cut grass in your local church because you will say, “Are they trying to say I will be just a gardener in this my life, God said I am going to be a governor one day”. Jesus knew He was going to God (how great!) yet it did not stop His service; rather, it motivated it! If you know you are going somewhere great, it would mean nothing to you if you have to cut grass in church on your way there.
There are others who feel they have already arrived at their destination of greatness and find it difficult to serve. What a pity! You never arrive while you live on this earth. As long as you are in Christ Jesus, all you experience are steps on the ladder to success; one milestone after another on the road to success – there is ALWAYS more greatness ahead of you. That means that there is ALWAYS more service ahead of you.
The Liberty To Serve Is Found In Those Who Are Committed To Influencing Others Positively
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?8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”?Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also?my?hands and?my?head!”?
10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash?his?feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”?
11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”?
12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you??
13?You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for?so?I am.?
14 If I then,?your?Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another’s feet.?
John 13:8-14 NKJV
17 If you know these things,?blessed are you if you do them.
John 13:17 NKJV
A sign of a successful leader is one who is able to reproduce Himself, and raise others who will be like him and who can do what he does and more. Jesus was a successful leader. His influence was not theoretical. He was a “DO AS I DO” leader. There are too many “DO AS I SAY DON’T DO AS I DO” leaders around us. That is not true leadership.
Men who have impacted the world are men and women of great service?to their nations (e.g. Nelson Mandela) and for?others, God sends their way. Men and women who have left their footprints in the sands of time by the examples they made of their lives as they lived for others.?
Dear Partner, what will you be remembered for when you die? For what possessions you acquired into your own life or for the service of time, money, sacrifices you put into the life of others and the life of the Kingdom? Selah.
While you meditate over and over again on these profound truths we have read through, please enjoy my gift this month of the message:?Four Major Lessons On Your Way To The Top.
You can reach us at?info@freshdew.tv?and on?our phone lines.?The?phone line for calls from within Nigeria is 0700-FRESHDEW which is?0700 3737 4339.?For calls from outside Nigeria the number would be: +234-700-FRESHDEW which is?+234 700 3737 4339. The lines are open from?9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily except on Sundays when it is open from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
I love you and I give thanks to Almighty God, my Father. To?Him, I owe a depth of gratitude for sending you as a partner to uphold the Freshdew vision in Jesus Name.?
Love unfeigned,
Electronically signed by
Pastor Nkechi Ene (Mrs.)
