Live A Life Of Service For Christ

 

 

Jesus shows us how to live a life of service by doing the very same for us. Jesus gave it all up for us (2 Corinthians 5:21, 8:9; Philippians 2:5–8), laid down His life willingly (John 10:18), got into the muck and the mess (Mark 5:25–34, 7:33; John 9:6), and served with love, joy, and compassion (Mark 6:30–44; John 13:1–17). Jesus laid down His life to save us, and He calls us His people saved by His work to lay down our lives (our old ways, our selfish desires, ambitions, agendas, and will) for Him, His will, His kingdom, and His purpose.

It’s such a privilege to be a believer. We get to follow the example of our Savior, to live for and be part of something so much greater than we could imagine. We get to be used by God to bring people into salvation and lead them into the hope of eternity. We get to follow in the footsteps of our King and Lord—and all it takes is us laying down our less than lives for a greater kingdom and purpose! Praise Jesus for this glorious call.
 

~From The Gospel Of Mark Devotional, Part 5 on YouVersion

 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

Worship Christ And Overcome Sin

 

 

Christians’ actions confirm their salvation.

Since they have been confirmed by Christ in the past, they are submitting to Him in the present. People doing battle with sin evidence that they belong to Christ. These are Christ’s people.

Whoever says ‘I know Him’ but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked. — 1 John 2:4-6

How can we know that we are saved? If we are obeying God. If we are fighting sin.

Why is fighting sin important? Because by it we confirm our salvation. Notice that the text does not say, “in him truly the love of God is perfect,” but “in him truly the love of God is perfected.” It is a process. Those who truly know Jesus keep His commands. The fact of the former produces the latter. The existence of the latter gives proof to the former.

We do not work at killing sin and obeying God so that we might earn our salvation. We go through the hard fight because we know that Jesus has already purchased the ticket. It is a joyful confirmation that comes out of the knowledge of a fully paid fare. And we can’t wait to get where we are going.

Sin kills.

The wages of sin is death. — Romans 6:23

The pursuit of sin ends in your death. But this is not a quick death (Genesis 3:16-19). Sin kills you slowly and painfully. Sin is not something you enjoy now and pay for later. Sin is painful now and deadly later, no matter what lies it has told you to the contrary (Romans 7:11).

Jesus took the penalty of death brought about by sin (Isaiah 53:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18). This is a reality as real as the irrevocable “not guilty” sentence passed by a judge in a court of law. However, Jesus does not just want to forgive the penalty of death in our lives. Jesus wants us to experience the healing power of removing death from our lives. He came to give us a full life, where sin and self-salvation had only brought death and destruction (John 10:10).

We fight sin to be made well. We will be perfectly healed when Jesus returns (1 John 3:2). But now every step we take toward Christ and away from sin is a step out of sickness and into health. Each step toward a healthier life confirms the guarantee Christ gave us in His resurrection, provides a greater joy in life now, and enflames our hearts to worship God.

When we look to the cross, we see that Jesus has decidedly killed sin in our lives — so we worship. Our worshipful response to our sin’s death results in the worshipful activity of putting our sin to death. But here is the unexpected truth of the gospel-motivated fight with sin. In worshiping God we become like Him. The deception of the tree is made true by the gospel. We are being made into the image of the one we worship (2 Corinthians 3:18). In worshiping God through the gospel, we receive freely what self-salvation could never provide us, despite all our work. Killing sin is from worship and for worship. Glory to God! He is making us like himself.


~From Rewire Your Heart by David Bowden 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!

 

 

Put On The Breastplate of Righteousness

 

 

Your own righteousness is like "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). Self-righteousness won't take you anywhere in spiritual warfare. We stand on 2 Corinthians 5:21: "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

The enemy works to bring a sin consciousness to your soul. You must strive to maintain a righteousness consciousness and ward off guilt, condemnation, and shame that try to creep into your mind and emotions when you sin. . . . You won't fight when you feel condemned. You won't fight when you feel guilty. You won't fight when you feel ashamed of yourself. You must choose to put on the breastplate of righteousness and keep it on. If you sin, don't throw off your armor. Instead run to the Lord and ask Him to secure it. Repent and ask Him for the grace to resist temptation.

 

~From 101 Tactics for Spiritual Warfare by Jennifer LeClaire

 

Stay Encouraged and Be Blessed!