 Well Charles Charles Haddon Spurgeon who we named our firstborn after once said this We have worked We have even worked hard, but the question comes to us. What have we worked for? Who has been our master? With what object have we toiled? When the end of our life comes what will we have worked for? What did we work for? Was Christ the master that we worked for? The object we used as we toiled was it the two-edged sword, the word of God? Also, what was our attitude as we worked? These are really great questions, especially as we consider serving. In fact in this session we're going to be looking at lessons learned from Tabitha or her name is translated Dorcus, a Serving sister. And so we're going to answer five questions. We're going to answer first of all, who should serve? Why do we serve? When do we serve? How do we serve and what attitude do we have as we serve? And this is all talking about serving the Lord and the answers will be in the form of the acrostic works But they're like I said as all sessions are not in order and as I mentioned we'll use other passages besides Acts 9 But let's look at the text first of all at hand Acts 9 36, which is the story about this dear woman this serving sister At Joppa, there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcus This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds, which she did But it happened in those days that she became sick and died when they washed her they laid her in an upper room And since Lydia was near Joppa and the disciples had heard that Peter was there They sent two men to him imploring him not to delay coming to them Then Peter arose and went with them and when he had come they brought him to the upper room and all the widow stood by him Weeping and showing the tunics and garments which Dorcus had made while she was with them But Peter put them all out and out down and prayed and turning to the body He said Tabitha arise and she opened her eyes and when she saw Peter she sat up Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up and when he called the saints and the widows He presented her alive and it became known throughout all Joppa and many believed on the Lord So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon a Tanner now a little bit about Joppa. It's 35 miles northwest of Jerusalem It was a walled city at like most of the New Testament cities where I think it's funny when we you know We're talking about building a wall in the biblical world all cities had walls around them It's just you know to protect right But this was a beautiful city and it was known for actually its name was Translated sunlight because when the Sun would come down and reflect off the buildings it gave a beautiful picture as it reflected the Sun Joppa was do we know the house of Simon the Tanner remember Simon stayed there many days and Remember when he was on the rooftop is when he received the vision a great sheet Was come down from heaven and there was all kinds of forfeited creeping things and fowls and that's when Jesus said you know He eats Simon and he said no Lord I've never eaten anything unclean and so the whole idea he was calling him to start serving the Gentiles the Gentiles as well as The Jews were accepted by God and also it was the home of Tabitha or Dorcas and It says here that this woman was full of good deeds Charitable deeds now we really don't know a lot about Dorcas the Bible tells us very little about her background But it's more than likely that Dorcas was a woman of great wealth or at least she had Connections with people who were wealthy She may have been one of the early converts of Philip the evangelist Because he was the one that established the church at Joppa and so it's very possible that Philip was responsible for sharing the gospel with her It's also worthy noting that Luke records here and acts that Dorcas was full of good works She was full of good works And so ladies since we're answering the question and talking about works and especially works that we as women do I would like to remind you of the three main passages about women and The works that we should be involved in you can either turn to them or just listen Whichever you would prefer to do But one of the passages that deals with works that we as women should do is 1st Timothy 5 9 and 10 It says do not let a widow under 60 years old be taken into the number unless she's been the wife of one man Well reported for good works and here's her good works. She brings up children. She lodges strangers She washes the Saints feet and she relieves the afflicted and she follows diligently after every good work And then of course we're all familiar with Titus 2 3 to 5 Which is the other passage that deals with things that we as women should be doing the old women They are to be reverent. That would be me. I'm old Reverend in my behavior not a slander not given to much wine and teachers of good things And then these old women are to teach young women how to be sober minded how to love their children How to love their husbands to be discreet chase keepers at home good and obedient to their own husbands And the whole goal is so that the word of God will not be blasphemed And then the last passage that deals with the woman and her role and her works is the Proverbs 31 woman Proverbs 31 it starts in verse 10. It says this a wife of noble character who confined her husband has full confidence in her And lacks nothing of value. She does him good not evil all the days of her life She selects wool and flax and works with her hands. She's like the merchant ships bringing her food from afar She gets up while it's still dark. She provides food for her family and portions for her servants girls She considers a field and buys it out of her earnings. She plants a vineyard She sets about her work vigorously her arms are strong for her tasks She sees that her trading is profitable and her lamp does not go out at night in her hands She holds the disc staff and she grasps the spindle with her fingers She opens her arms to the poor extends her hands to the needy when it snows not like in Florida But it doesn't do that here. That's not in the Bible, but she has no fear for her household For all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed She's clothed in fine linen and purple her husband is respected at the city gate where he takes his seat Among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them and supplies the merchants with sashes She's clothed with dignity and strength. She can laugh at the future She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household She doesn't eat the bread of idleness her children rise and call her blessed her husband. Also. He praises her Many women have done noble things, but use her past them all Charm is deceptive and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised Give her the reward she has earned and let her works bring her praise at the city gate So those are the three passages that deal with us Especially as women and the works that we should be involved in besides using our spiritual gifts Which we'll talk about in just a minute now? We do not know how many of the above works from Titus Timothy and Proverbs that Dorcas was involved in But whatever Dorcas was involved in her life was full of them This woman was not half-hearted about her labor. In fact here in Acts It says she was known for her charitable deeds, which means her giving to the poor Remember Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount when you do your alms Don't let them be seen before men and the alms there is the charitable giving to the poor And that's why I say she was wealthy or she has some connections to people who were wealthy Because she was able to use her money to help those who were less fortunate than she was and so she was a very Giving person and we'll see in a minute. She probably had the gift of giving It was one of her spiritual gifts and the washing here of her body was in preparation for the burial That's what they would do in the biblical world So this woman Dorcas was full of good work so much so that when she died It was a terrible tragedy Peter comes and he sees all these widows and they're weeping and crying and they're showing him All the things that she has made and so ladies We certainly need women today who will follow the example of Dorcas, right? It might be as simple as giving food or clothing to someone in need It might be making a phone call sending a text an email Even a face-to-face visit if it is needed. I hope that you are always looking for tangible ways To be a blessing to other it is more blessed to give than to receive And Dorcas realized something that we should realize and I want to make this very clear People are not projects People are people whom Christ has died for and so as we serve keep that in mind This is not a project. This is a person that we are serving people that Christ died for We show love we show compassion and we look for ways to go the extra mile as we serve So as we think about serving we should ask the question and I told you we're gonna ask some questions here Who should serve? Who should be serving? So we're talking about this serving sister well to answer the question consider Matthew 5 you can turn there Or just listen if you want when Jesus is on the Sermon on the Mount He says you are the light of the world the city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden neither do men light a lamp and put It under a bushel Why because they put it on a lamp stand so it can give light to all that are in the house And then he says let your light so shine before men that they may see your good Works and glorify your father who is in heaven. That's the portion of scripture We talked about while ago the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus says Kingdom citizens genuine Christians are to be the light of the world We're supposed to have our light shining so that men and women can see us and by our good works They glorify our father who is in heaven and now ladies Jesus is speaking to people on the Sermon on the Mount His disciples are there but also are the scribes and Pharisees and hypocrites So he's speaking to an audience of people who think they're Christians But most of them are not and so he's raising the standard and so when we think about it is what he's saying You are the light of the world. He's talking about what genuine Christian Genuine Christians genuine kingdom citizens so the answer to this question who should serve the answer is Kingdom citizens These are the ones who serve their master their Lord the one they committed their life to They are the ones who could answer Spurgeon's question who has been your master with the answer My Lord my Lord is my master Ladies as we can surmise Dorcas was a kingdom citizen I don't think there's any question here in this passage She was a kingdom citizen as we think about what Jesus is saying here She did let her light shine before men, right? They did see her good work so much so that there's there was a lot of people surrounding her when she died She must have had quite a ministry there Now when Jesus says we're to let our light shine You know what I have found we often think that that's the job of the pastor, right or the pastor's wife But ladies every one of you in this room is committed your life to the Lordship of Christ You are a kingdom citizen and you should be letting your light shine before men each of us is Individually responsible for using our spiritual gifts Christ saved you and he's ordained for you before the foundation of the world works Good works that you each individually should be doing and so we need to be Using those gifts for his glory. I remember when you stand before the Lord You're not going to be standing there holding the hand of somebody else, right? You're gonna stand individually It was said of John the Baptist. He was a burning and a shining light He was willing to rejoice a time to rejoice in his light. Does that describe you? Are you a burning and a shining light? Does the world see your good works? Do they know you're a kingdom citizen? Do they know why you're serving? Do they know who you're serving? Paul tells the church at Philip I do all things without murmuring and disputing Why so that you'll be blameless harmless children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine As lights in the world so that behooves this as women right no murmuring No complaining by the way, I heard some in the bathroom while ago, but she didn't know I was in the stall So I heard your I heard your murmuring I heard your murmuring In fact, I heard about a speaker one time this really happened I won't tell you who it was But she was actually in the toilet when some of the ladies from the conference came into the bathroom And they were actually murmuring about her speaking and she came out of the stall and she said I heard what you said So you know that that you weren't murmuring about me, but you were murmuring about something But ladies what what good does it do if we offer the world murmuring and complaining it doesn't let our light shine before men Right so they can see our good works and glorify our father who is in heaven Listen in order for you to let your light shine before men. You've got to get out of your comfort zone You need to be busy for the Lord don't isolate yourself in your home with all your technology And think that you are being light Love the light to the world by posting some poem or scripture verse on Facebook or Instagram to your 6,000 friends You got to get out Meet people invest your time and energy into relationships My friend the time is short and if you and I are gonna make a difference. We must do it now Dorkus was around people, right? Evidence by all the women standing over her body and showing Peter all the things she made while she was alive with them She got involved in people's lives if you're gonna be a serving sister You've got to get involved in people. That's one of the things that has really Blown my mind during the pandemic last year. How many people isolating themselves in their homes? Ladies the Bible says a man who isolates himself brings himself to destruction and we're seeing it how 26% crease in suicide people are depressed. They're anxious. They're fearful God didn't intend for us to sit at home He intends us to be out and to be Administering to people you might say well Susan, why should I let my light shine before men? Well, Jesus says so they can see our good works those good works in Timothy tied us Proverbs 31, but it also include the works the fruit of the Spirit sharing the gospel Living out the word of God. It would also include using your spiritual gifts. What you're gonna talk about in just a moment Ladies as men and women see our good works the glory doesn't go to us, right? They see our good works, which what does what not glorify us? It glorifies our father who is in heaven. So this is the answer to why we serve. Why do we serve? We do this to revere the Lord's name. This is the R on your acrostic. Ladies the reason that you serve The reason I stand up here and teach for the Lord's name to honor to glorify his name In fact in Titus 2 where it says that old women or teach young women all those things You know the reason Paul gives Titus there why we do this so that God's name isn't blasphemed So that his name is honored revered so as people look at us as Christian women and they see us living out Loving our husbands loving our children being pure being keepers at home being good being submissive to our husbands It adorns the doctrine of God and makes it attractive and it puts him on display and then they go You know what you say you're a Christian. I see you're a Christian. I want I want what you have. I want what you have Ladies we want to honor the Lord's name Unbelievers don't have that motive of giving glory to God in their work They glorify what themselves they promote themselves. They have another master and it's usually themselves But ladies we put God on display as a psalmist would say not unto us a Lord But into your name be the glory right we want to glorify him and That's the wonderful result of a faithful kingdom citizen who's living out a life Of light and salt we put the father on Display ladies don't you want to make the world thirsty? We're not only the light of the world where the salt right where the salt of the earth So we want to make people thirsty for Christ But we're not gonna make them thirsty if we don't get out and serve and get involved in people's lives In fact Peter himself said in 1st Peter 212 he says have your conduct honorable make your conduct honorable among the Gentiles the pagans So even though if they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works Glorify your father who is in heaven right so even though people hate us unbelievers hate us and they speak evil of us They're gonna look at our good works and say mm. You know She's got she looks like the real deal and they glorify our father who is in heaven Peter who wrote that remember was the one who raised raised Dorcas from the dead Which was another good work and it glorified the Lord so much that people believed in the Lord Peter had the power to raise the dead Which is one of the apostolic gifts and he raised Dorcas from the dead and it said by this work Many believed in the Lord and came to faith in Christ Jesus also says in John 15a by this is my father glorified that you bear much fruit So you be my disciples Ladies both of these verses speak to the fact that our works glorify our father by putting him on Display in fact in the physical sense if we were turned out all the lights right now It'd be dark in here, right? But if I had somebody turn him back on When the lights go on it doesn't illumine the lights it illumines what all of you the same it is with us We don't do our good works to draw attention to ourself, right? But to draw attention to our father in heaven. We want to glorify him Well Dorcas glorified God by her service didn't she in? Fact so much so the women were deeply distressed when she died and Peter even felt a need to raise her from the dead This woman impacted many lives with the deeds that she did for the kingdom of God and his Glory now included in this reverence for God as a reason for serving would be that God created you for Good works and ladies by fulfilling what he's called you to do you honor his name Paul says very clearly in Ephesians for by grace you've been saved through faith not of yourselves It is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast and he says something very interesting for you Are his workmanship Created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared before hand that you should walk in them Ladies Paul is very clear We're saved by not works right but by faith But works prove our faith like James says faith without works is dead and Paul says were his workmanship were his poem were his piece of art so to speak and He's created us for good works that we should walk in them. Are you doing those works? Do you know what works you're supposed to be doing? Do you know why God saved you? He didn't save you to sit at home and twiddle your thumbs and eat chocolate all day He didn't save you to do that. In fact Paul says to Titus He gave himself for us redeemed us out of every lawless deed and purified himself with people of his own Listen very carefully. Those that will be zealous for good works. Are you zealous for good works? That's why God saved you. He saved you so that you would perform good works for his glory Ladies if you're in the habit of serving and using your gifts, do you know you're now fulfilling the good works that God has designed for you? God ordained works for Dorcas to do and he's ordained certain works for you to do Do you know what they are? Are you doing them? I hope so Another question we should consider is this when do we serve? When do we serve? You might say Susan? My life is so busy. I don't have time to be serving the kingdom of God. I've got kids I've got a house to run. I've got a husband that doesn't help Did you know you're already serving did you listen to Proverbs 31 this woman, you know stays up late gets up early You know, she's constantly working right and her husband wouldn't help in either. He was an owner in the gates He was sitting in the gates. I don't know what he was doing there, but he was in the gates Ladies we die daily. Don't we we really die daily. I was telling someone the other day I was cooking my husband's dinner and You know, sometimes you that little flesh gets in there. I go. Hi, is he get to sit down? I'm cooking dinner, you know, and then I quickly reminded myself just do what you ought to do and get your mind back under control You know, so but that is part of my job, isn't it? And so we delight in that. That's part of our good Good works the Christian life is one of taking up your cross and dying daily And Dorcas was evidently known for her constant giving of herself So the answer is when we ask the question when should we serve is the oh on your acrostic. It's ongoing Sorry ladies, it never stops It's ongoing In fact Paul says tied it to Titus. He says be careful to maintain good works You know what the word maintain means? Keep on practicing them. You never stop serving the Lord. You never stop Ladies we should be always looking for ways to serve. We don't take a break from his Lordship We live for others. We do not live for ourselves So when I wake up in the morning, I should be thinking how can I be a blessing to someone? Rather than how can I get someone to serve me? Right? Remember what Jesus said is more blessed to give than to receive and ladies as we go Throughout our day that should be the foremost thing on our mind as Jesus went about he went about doing good He didn't even let his left hand know what his right hand was doing and that's what we should be doing So if my service to the Lord is ongoing then how in the world do I do this? How do I serve? This is another question. How do I serve? By using your spiritual gifts, this is the s on your acrostic spiritual gifts are how you serve Spiritual gifts are how we serve Now this might be foreign to you you might say what are you talking about spiritual gifts? Maybe you don't even know what spiritual gifts are you need to find out or you don't have time I have a whole teaching on that you can get on YouTube and listen to it But there are four major passages regarding our spiritual gifts. Let me give them to you Romans 12 4 to 8 First Corinthians 12 4 to 11 Ephesians 4 11 and 12 1st Peter 4 9 to 11 so Romans 12 4 to 8 1st Corinthians 12 4 to 11 Ephesians 4 11 and 12 and 1st Peter 4 9 through 11 now There are spiritual gift tests out there. I don't recommend most of them There are a few of them that are good, but I don't think the New Testament states took a test Hey, Peter. Hey, Paul. Where's that spiritual gift test? I don't know what my spiritual gifts are. Could you please give me that test? I don't know what my are But we do know when we're saved the Holy Spirit gives to each one severely as he will So some of you have maybe one spiritual gift. Some of you may have several I met someone that I think has every spiritual gift and that's that's quite an endowment That's quite a responsibility they have you might so how do you know what my how do I know what my spiritual gifts are? Susan well, I think what what are you love to do? Where are you drawn to? What you know what impels you? For me, it was pretty simple. I after God saved me. I All of a sudden had a passion for the word that I'd never had before I used to read it because you know a chapter day Kept the devil away But in my case it never kept him away because I just kept sinning worse and worse and so it didn't work But after I got saved after the Lord saved me then things changed and I want to know the Bible So while my husband was in seminary all day, I was just studying and memorizing I just wanted to understand it and learn it and then when he graduated from seminary and moved back to Oklahoma I was like well, I want to I want to tell somebody all this stuff. I want to teach I want to how do I do that? So it took some classes on how to teach and I took a little bit of Greek and the start memorizing scripture and so My main gifts are teaching prophecy not incentive for telling the future but prophecy in the sense of just heralding the truth and Exertation I have a desire to help women. I want to see women as I see them getting off the track I want to pull them back in and and help them get back on track spiritually And so another way is not just by what you're compelled to do ask your husband What does he think your gifts are asked your closest friend? I you know, I've traveled with Debbie now for over 20 years and I can tell you exactly what her gifts are mercy and giving and Serving those are her top gifts. How do I know that? I just watch her and I watch her life and where she's gifted and you can be around somebody for a while and you can See where their spiritual gifts lie also once you know what your spiritual gifts are I think you should excel in them. You should sharpen them. I'm always trying to learn more. I understand the scripture more Learn more about how to help people ladies. We don't want to become status quo We want to grow in our spiritual gifts and we want to sharpen them for the glory of God and for his kingdom As I mentioned, we know that the Holy Spirit gives to each of us at least one gift now from this brief passage in Acts regarding Dorcas we can surmise she had these gifts She must have had the gifts of helps right because she helped all these women. She had the gift of mercy Evidently and giving because she would have not been able to give to all these people Without having some kind of financial ability so we can surmise even from that you can look at Paul You can look at Peter and know they had the what the gift of teaching the gift of preaching And so you can surmise from that Barnabas. He was the son of comfort So he must have had the gift of encouragement and so it doesn't take long And I do have a spiritual gift test not that I wrote but one that I think it is helpful if you're still having Trouble with that you can email me. I'll send that to you now. What attitude should we have as we serve? So we know who should be serving right a kingdom citizen We know how long we should be serving forever till we get to heaven, right? It's ongoing. The goal is to glorify the Lord to revere him. But what attitude? Love right? This is the W on your acrostic. We serve with love We serve with love Ladies Paul is very clear in 1st Corinthians 13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels and have not love I am what a sounding clump clang or a tinkling symbol and though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and have Not love. I am nothing and even if I give my body to be burned And I do not have love. I am nothing. I am nothing Listen as you go and use your spiritual gifts. People are gonna know if You love them or not, they're gonna tell they're gonna know if you're doing it out of duty or delight They're gonna know and God knows God knows why you're serving. Are you serving? What are your motives? Is it to glorify yourself? Is it to promote yourself? Is it to honor him is because you love God and you want to give back? He's died for you he paid for your sins you have an inheritance in heaven Do you want to give him back what you owe him? And so do you serve with love? Ladies God knows if you're faking it and the people that you're serving will know if you're faking it I remember when I first became a believer I had several things I had to really start working on my temper and one was submission to my husband And I remember when I started learning that guy, this is really freeing I need to really hone in on this and get better at this and so outwardly I was and my husband used to say you're submitting outwardly, but you're sitting down on the inside And I was like, how does he know that you know, how do you know that and So I wasn't quite there yet, but he knew it and he that's good. He's my husband He should know it, but you know God knows God knows if we have the right attitude and so maybe you need to repent You know what your spiritual gifts are and you are using them, but you don't have the right attitude the right motive You're maybe out to you know promote yourself like the Pharisees. They want to be seen of others Ladies we need to repent of these attitudes, but we need to love others and love God in fact Peter Peter when he writes this is a Interesting passage that we would do well to think about I'll give you this Because I want to give you a couple attitudes that he mentions that should be present in 1st Peter 4 He says we're to be hospitable with to each other without grumbling And then he says as each one has received a gift because you've all received at least one spiritual gift Minister it to each other as good stewards of the manifold grace of God if anyone speaks Let him speak as if God is speaking. That's why it's terrifying to be a teacher If you have a speaking gift, you better be speaking as if God is speaking If anyone ministers let him do it with the ability that God gives that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ You can be glory forever and ever amen, so he lists five attitudes if you caught those that must be present as we serve no complaining No complaining ladies whoever was murmuring in the bathroom Servants heart Servants heart thirdly an attitude is unto the Lord. He said we do it as unto the Lord and We serve with the ability God gives us you don't try to serve in your own strength. It will not work It will not work. In fact people have often told me. I don't know how you do all you do I go I don't do all I do God helps me do what I do. I serve with the ability God gives me That's it. I can't do it within and of myself and number five an attitude of glorifying God Peter says that God may be glorified in all things to him be glory forever and ever Amen, so those are the attitudes that he gives that we should have no complaining a servant's heart attitude is to the Lord Serving with the ability God gives you and an attitude of glorifying him Think about it ladies If I love others, I won't complain if I love God I won't complain if I love God I'll be his slave if I love God I will serve as unto him if I love God I will serve with the ability that he gives if I love God it will be my deepest desire to glorify him as I serve Dorcas was certain to have loved those she served as seen by the sorrow exhibited when she died You know as a pastor's wife, I've seen many people die alone because they have no friends. They didn't serve anybody They didn't serve anybody. I've talked to people before that complain about I don't have any friends You know what was me and I said well Let me ask you who have you reached out to in the last week or two nobody I said well, I rest my case a Man that has friends must show himself what? Friendly so make a pot of coffee and invite someone over to your house and start a friendship right start a relationship But Dorcas was obviously very loved by the multitude of women that were around her when she died So what lessons can we learn from our serving sister Dorcas? We've learned five lessons in the form of acrostic works. First of all, we serve with love When you serve others is it out of duty or delight? Do you serve because you love God and love others or are you serving because you love yourself? And you want everyone to know how great or how spiritual you are or you think you are Since we're on this topic of serving. Do you meet genuine needs or are you enabling other people? Remember, that's not love a God, they love ministers to needs not wants Secondly our service is ongoing Just as we don't stop breathing. We don't stop serving Every day we die to ourselves and live for others. Are you haphazard in your serving of others? Are you dying daily? What are you living for and what are you dying for? If you've grown weary remember the words of our brother Paul Therefore my beloved brother and be steadfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord Why knowing your labor is not in vain in the Lord? Ladies your labor is not in vain God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love which you've ministered to the saints and do minister Paul says in Hebrews Thirdly we serve with reverence for God That's your desire should be your desire to put God on display Do you put God on display when you serve him in your home in your church in your community? If we were to ask your family's friends and church members if God is glorified in your serving, what would they say? Do those closest to you see Christ in you or would they tell us your service is focused on yourself and the praise that you desire? Fourthly those who serve our kingdom citizens True as it is God uses all people saved and lost for his purposes, right? He even used a donkey for his purposes But those in his kingdom are the ones who are serving the master of the universe Are you a kingdom citizen? Have you committed your life to the Lordship of Christ? Is he your master? Is he your reason for living? Have you repented of your sins and embraced the life the wonderful Savior? Who died to free you from the bondage of sin and death are you paying back what you owe him? Do you know what your gifts are that God has given you the things that he is ordained for you specifically before the foundation of the world? Are you using them for the glory of God? If not why not? So to go back to Charles Spurgeon's quote What have you worked for? God self Others who's been your master? self others God money With what object have you toiled? Has it been the Lord his word and prayer or has it been self? Man I did man's ideas and some positive thoughts Francis Havergale who wrote my favorite him take my life and let it be she lost her mother when she was 11 years old 11 years old Her mother's final words to her were this Fanny dear Pray to God to prepare you for all he is preparing for you Have you and I and are you and I prepared for what God has prepared for us in this life? Do we know what he's called us to be and do and are we using his gifts that he's given us for his glory? The song take my life and let it be is a song of great dedication That we're gonna close with in just a minute as we think about this serving sister But before we sing that I just want to remember sisters I Want you to remember don't be a sister who's seduced Don't be known as a sister who's squabbling But be known as a submissive a sister who is submissive steadfast in serving, okay