“The Greatest Among You, Shall Be You Servant”

Mark 10:42-45: “But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Here in this passage Jesus is talking to his twelve disciples. James and John, if you read the whole entire chapter, had asked God to sit at the right and left of his throne. Christ answered them saying that they didn’t know what they were asking for the throne was not his to give out, but that God would give it out to who was prepared. You see John and James were stuck in the frame of entitlement much like us today. However I do not want to focus on their entitlement. What sticks out most is Christ’s comment in verse 43 when he says, “But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister”.  Here he is forming a great comparison between the those in the world who have authority who flaunt their authority over those under them and those, in the kingdom of God, who have positions of authority.  The word “minister” in verse 43 means “servant”. In other words, Christ is saying the great among you will be your minister. In this materialistic world we live in it is easy to lose sight of this important life lesson Christ is communicating to his disciples. The greatest example of servant hood we can adopt is that of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2: 5-8).  The greatest in the eyes of Christ are those who serve others in need or those who do not know Christ. Our destiny lies in us knowing Christ in the remission of our sins and then turning around to serve someone else. There are many things that can hinder us serving others- all of them being self-inflicted. What do I mean? Pride, entitlement, materialism, spiritual blindness, and unconfessed sin. We must do away with blaming the devil for everything when we are choosing to dwell in these mindsets. The only way these barriers can be done away is to possess the mind of Christ. The greatest thing you could ever be in this world is a Servant! God bless you!

Min. Kenneth Scott, Jr.

Victorious Faith Christian Center

]]> http://dailywordsoflove.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/the-greatest-among-you-will-be-your-servant/feed/ 0 dailywordsoflove Heart-of-a-Servant-Hati-Hamba-300x213 http://dailywordsoflove.wordpress.com/2011/09/12/the-entitlement-mindset/ http://dailywordsoflove.wordpress.com/2011/09/12/the-entitlement-mindset/#comments Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:16:24 +0000 dailywordsofinspiration http://dailywordsoflove.wordpress.com/?p=138 ]]> Mark 10:35-39: “³⁵And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come
unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we
shall desire. ³⁶And he said unto them, What would ye that I should
do for you? ³⁷They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one
on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. ³⁸But
Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I
drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? ³⁹And
they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of
the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall
ye be baptized:

The entitlement mindset, as we see through this passage, has been around in
the church since its inception. . Look at verses 33-34. We see that Jesus has predicted
his arrest and death. The first thing James and John do is ask something for
themselves.  He we see two disciples,
James and John, asking to sit at throne of God seeking gain for themselves over
others because they were following Christ. These two men had no clue what they
were asking of the father. They were in no position to take on the sins of the
world or to take on the suffering and anguish Jesus was about to take on.
However, they still wanted to be treated as if they were. These disciples had a
history of carnal and humanistic thinking. Think about it for a second. These
12 men were walking with Christ, learning from him, witnessing the miracles he
had done; yet, they still continued to possess fear, doubt, and unbelief. We
are not any different from these disciples. We believe that because we’ve been
attending a specific church that we are entitled to serve in ministry. Or the
ministry should cater to our needs before ministering to the unsaved. Or we
complain about church decisions because we are only concerned with our personal
desires regardless of how they affect the unsaved.

Entitlement is the exact opposite of servanthood. Even Christ came to
minster and be servant to others. (Mark 10:45). Why would we carry ourselves differently
from Christ? Have you served anyone in the last six months? If you can’t answer
this question positively there may be a remnant of entitlement there. Ask God
to reveal areas in your life where they may be entitlement. The world around us
depends on those believers with a servant mindset. God Bless You!

-Minister Kenneth Scott, Jr.

Many times we justify our lifestyle or compare it to those
who are living lifestyles that clearly do not reflect the life of a believer.
How many times have you said “well it’s only ___________, I could be
___________”. We fall to the deceit of our sins. You may work hard for
everything, be a good parent, husband, or wife; however, unless you have
accepted Christ into your life and have a strong relationship with him these
good attributes and deeds mean nothing. Is it worth it to you for your soul to
spend its days in eternal damnation?

On the other hand, there are those who have sold their souls
for the sake of success. The bible says what profit a man if he shall gain the
whole world and lose his soul (Matt 16:26). In other words, what in this world
is worth losing your soul? The bible says that God will judge every man according
to his deeds (Matt 16:27). God isn’t concerned with what you do to impact the
world as a sinner. When we accept the gift of salvation, a new frame of mind
overtakes us. Suddenly, the positive things we did in the world we realize were
nothing compared to developing a relationship with Christ, becoming a clean
vessel, and sharing your faith with others. The heart of God is that our soul prospers
first.  Our soul prospering is indicative
of full submission to Christ and turning away from wicked ways.  It means seeking the kingdom of God and his
righteousness. It means that we have a new lifestyle that we are to continue in
for the rest of our days here on earth. When our soul prospers then we will
prosper and be in good health. (3 John 1:2).  Everything we put our hands to do is blessed
because of the righteous One that lives inside of us. Understand that worldly
deed will not get you to heaven. Your relationship and righteous lifestyle
will. Be Blessed!

Minister Kenneth Scott, Jr.

There is great significance with the heart throughout the
bible. Solomon in this passage is again instructing his son on the power of
attaining wisdom. He continually tells his son to take heed to his instruction
and “write it upon the tables of thine heart”. Why is there so much emphasis upon
placing instruction deep within our hearts? The answer lies in that the heart
precedes all actions whether positive or negative. Many believe the mind
controls our bodies when it is actually the heart. The Apostle Luke records
Jesus saying, “ a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth
that which is good; an evil man out of evil treasure of his heart bringeth
forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks”
(Luke 6:45, KJV emphasis added).  Jesus
echoes this same theme in Mark 7:15-23 (check it out when you can). Our hearts must
be permeated with righteousness, peace, and joy.  These things only come from prioritizing the kingdom
of God above all (Matt 6:33). Many of us wonder why we can’t seem to overcome
or are continually going through. I submit to you today that it could in part
have to do with what it is in your heart. Is it bitterness? Resentment?  Fornication? Deceit? Evil thoughts? Pride?
All these things amongst many other will lead to a life of turmoil. The great
thing is that your past or present failures are not the “be all, end all”. We
advocacy with our Heavenly Father in that he will wipe all these things away
from us and give us a clean heart. Remember it is impossible to fully serve God
without a clean heart. So let God take those things away from you. Do not let
another day go by where you won’t choose to be freed from these things. The
process of change starts the minute you pray a prayer of repentance. The heart
of God is that we live our lives free from the bondage of sin helping others to
experience the same liberty God gave us.  The choice, however, is yours; FREEDOM or
BONDAGE.  Be blessed!

Minister Kenneth Scott, Jr.

There is nothing to compare to the power of godly wisdom. Godly wisdom as
Solomon says is strong enough to keep us from harm and save us from our
enemies. Wisdom of God will protect us from making bad decisions. Godly wisdom
will keep us on the path of righteousness so that we do not stray away from it.
Godly wisdom will birth in us Christian character and the true selfless nature
of Christ. Soloman, within the context of this passage, told his son to chase
after wisdom as one who would search for hidden treasures. He says to cry out
for spiritual insight and understanding (wisdom). Spiritual insight and
understanding as he says will extend years to our lives and give us peace.
Godly wisdom only comes through God’s spirit dwelling inside of us. God’s
empowering presence gives us the ability to recognize and withstand the
deceitfulness of this world. Godly wisdom will equip us to be successful in
everything we set our hands to do.

If God is to bless us with his gift of wisdom, we must give sole control to
him. We must not rely on humanistic thinking or try to manipulate situations.
The bible says to first seek the kingdom of God and then all his righteousness (Matt
6:33). This means that we are to acknowledge God in everything we say and do.
Do not resist correction from God. When God blesses you honor him with the
first part of your wealth. God will cause blessings to flow like never before.

When God imparts wisdom to us, the bible says it is more precious than
silver and gold. Godly wisdom will cause us not to stumble into our old sinful
ways. Godly wisdom is, in essence, a forever changed lifestyle. It is a way of
freedom from the chains of bondage. Lastly, when we have been granted the gift
of godly wisdom, it is our responsibility to point others to the One who is
able. Be blessed and may God grant you wisdom.

Minister Kenneth Scott, Jr.

Often times when we are witnessing for Christ we come across those who have
the faith but are wavering. Jude tells us on this passage to empathize with
these people. We must meet the person where their level of understanding is and
listen. Listening is if the utmost importance when we are witnessing for
Christ. We sometimes get in the habit quickly asserting our thoughts and
feelings without truly understanding the other person’s perspective. The bible
tells us to be quick to hear and slow to speak (James 1:19). Listening allows
the other person to believe you really have their best interest in mind and are
not just looking to drop off doctrine to them.

In verse 23, Jude tells us in this passage that there will be times when we
will have to snatch the person out of the fire or judgment. This isn’t a green
light to not listen to them. Jude is saying that each situation will be different
in evangelizing Christ. However, it is imperative, in our empathizing, that we
do not compromise our faith. In finding middle ground to win the soul to Christ,
we must be careful to not lose who we are in Christ. We shouldn’t hate the
person but hate the sin that is in them. We shouldn’t be overly concerned with
the behavior or external (Eph 6:12). Understand that this is spiritual warfare.
We must be wise as serpents and harmless as doves in reaching the lost (Matt
10:16). What Jesus meant when he said this is we are sheep going out into a
land full of wolves. The anti-Christ is every direction we set our feet to walk
in. Knowing this, we must be rooted in the word and in our faith that we position
ourselves to stand against all the attacks of the enemy. Saints of God, it’s
our time to be a living witness for Christ. Let the Holy Spirit work the
boldness in you to speak. Simply desire to be the vessel of honor he has called
you to be. Be obedient to the voice of God and take his Gospel to the nations.
Be Blessed!

Minister Kenneth Scott, Jr.

There is nothing like being empowered to do something. When
we feel empowered, we feel like we can achieve any and everything. Our faith in
Christ empowers us to overcome everything about our past as well as everything
that is in the world. Our faith empowers us to live life in complete freedom.
Think about for a second: the God we serve is completely limitless. We finite
human beings become powerful because of our faith in an infinite God.  We no longer are limited to our old ways
because of our advocacy with Christ. We do not have to live a life of fear.
Stress is no longer an issue of a person that is God-begotten.  Our faith will take us to a new standard of
thinking. It empowers you to do things that your mind never could have
imagined. Many of us do not fully understand the implications that faith afford
us. God honors our faith in him.  Having
total faith in Christ implies that you have given up all control to Christ. You
are not always trying to manipulate or control situations in our life. Total
faith in Christ means that you a fruitful relationship with Christ. When the
storms of life come you rejoice instead of openly murmuring or complaining.
Total faith in Christ will produce longsuffering. Total faith in Christ is a
lifestyle not something you just have today and is gone tomorrow. Today I want
you to reflect on where your faith level is. Ask God for increase in this area.
Be prepared for what will ensue. Your total faith in Him will be life changing.
God Bless You!

Minister Kenneth Scott, Jr.

Yesterday’s “earthquake” undoubtedly was a head scratcher for all of us in
the north east quadrant of the US. After speaking with many people about their experiences,
I felt it necessary to write a few things concerning this topic. I can imagine
the panic and hysteria many went through for 20-30 seconds yesterday. For many unbelievers
and backsliders this was a wakeup call. For those who are walking upright with
Christ this is our time to really drive home salvation to those who don’t know
Christ.

Peter within the context of this passage is building a comparison with those
who have grown insensitive to the coming of the Lord and have taken it for
granted. When Christ comes back it will be unexpectedly, however it won’t be
through it will be through fire. Verse 11 tells how we out to conduct ourselves.
It is imperative that we live a life of holiness because Christ will come so unexpectedly.
There should not be any wavering with believers. This is the time that
repentance and salvation should take place. People of God erase the ism and
schism in the church. God is coming back for a church without spot, wrinkle, or
any such thing (Ephesians 5:27). To those of you who struggle with your
relationship with Christ, the time is now to lay aside all the things that are
holding you back. Ask God for forgiveness, and walk with God. There is no alternative
to the grace of God.  People of God shouldn’t
panic when natural disasters come. We should rejoice because we are at the threshold
of entering into our eternal reward; a reward far greater than anything here on Earth. . Live according to the promises of God.
Stay obedient and pure before God. God Bless You!

Minister Kenneth Scott. Jr.

Often times in life we try to handle our problems by ourselves. Our humanistic
minds have been classically conditioned to be in control of every single thing.
We in the 21^st century desire to be in control over our lives so
much that we fail over and over again. Jesus is says in verse 29 take my yoke
upon you and learn from me. What’s the importance of a yoke? A yoke in those
times was a wooden board designed to hold two oxen or animals for agricultural purposes.
It could also be a yoke of bondage or oppression. Jesus here is very clever
with his analogy. He says to take my yoke upon you and learn from me. His yoke
wasn’t a yoke of bondage. His yoke is one that will make life easier for us. He
is there to carry the weight of our burdens and we are there to learn from him
and carry his burden. A burden is a task of service or responsibility. So when
Jesus is saying that his burden is light, he is saying partner with me and be
partaker in my glory and suffering. Christ’s burden was to free us from sin
that we could all experience true spiritual freedom. We are assigned to witness
to those in darkness that they might come into the love of God. When you
position yourself to be yoked together with Christ your burdens become lighter.
As you learn from Christ, Christian character begins to take route in you. You’ll
find yourself reflecting Christ’s selfless nature. You’ll notice that you’re less
inclined to complain about your problems and are more concerned with the
burdens of others. You’ll be more inclined to fully submit to Christ and not
try to control everything. When you give up control and let God have his way
with you is when God will really do his work in you. You’re not vulnerable if
you give up control; you are obedient. You’ve tried it your way for years and
it hasn’t worked. Try Christ and watch what happens.

God Bless You,

Minister Kenneth Scott, Jr.

Peter, within context, is encouraging the Jewish Christians
who were exiled on spiritual development. He likens our spiritual development
to that of a newborn baby.  Once we have come
to Christ and accepted the graciousness of his salvation, it is our
responsibility to grow into mature Christians. We must have the attitude
of a little child. The child desires to grow and be like the older kids or his
or her parents. We must have the appetite of a child. Think about a
child for a second. Those of you that have children know this. A child, when he
or she is hungry, will eat as if they have a bottomless pit in their stomachs.
This is the same way we should be when it comes to the word. Once we have started
to digest the milk of the word, our hunger increases for the meat of the word.
We will find ourselves studying longer and longer. Digesting large amounts of
the word will foster spiritual maturity and godly wisdom.  After all, your aim should be to grow.
You will not be equipped to handle life’s problems if you have been walking
with the Lord for years and still feasting on the milk of the word. Satan knows
this. This is why he will bring distraction upon distraction into your life to
prohibit you from reading the word. He will bring fatigue upon you while reading
the word. Understand saints of God, the enemy is trying to stifle your growth.
We are in spiritual warfare.  It is
imperative that you equip yourself to be able to stand. We weren’t created to
fight the devil. That is God’s job. We were created to stand firm on God’s word
and spread his Gospel to all nations. So what is your appetite, aim, and
attitude concerning the word? Are you desiring growth or are you complacent?
Food for thought!

God Bless You,

Minister Kenneth Scott, Jr.