“For you have been called to live in freedom – not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13

What will you use your freedom for?It’s an important question, since one of the greatest things about being born again is the freedom that comes from the Spirit of God. “And wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

In Christ we have been set free from the power and the penalty of sin, free from trying to earn God’s favor, free from the insatiable need to please ourselves, and free to know the truth. Even though we may not be aware of all these freedoms, they are nonetheless true and available to each of us by faith.

But the question Paul addressed in Galatians is what we use this freedom for. He suggests that we use this freedom to lovingly serve each other.

Notice the things we have been set free from, they all revolve around the self. Think about it. Most of us have spent the better part of our lives getting all the attention. Even the guilt, self-pity, and regret we love to wallow in are all about us. Imagine freeing up the thinking time we put into self-indulgence – feeling guilty, judging others to feel better by comparison, and figuring out how to please our selfish desires – and imagine spending that time on someone else.

First you will need to remind yourself of your freedom in Christ because forgetting that is what gets us stuck in the first place. Then use that freed-up time to identify with what someone else is going through and plan how you can serve him or her.

If being free to serve sounds like an oxymoron, it’s only because we have all become so used to being in bondage we can’t imagine being free. But free to serve is what we were meant to be. It’s how we become useful to God.

Next time you catch yourself absorbed in you-know-who, stop and think about what you can do for someone around you. Remember your freedom in Christ and spend it on others. Think about what their needs might be – ask them, if you don’t know – and serve them in love. It’s time for someone else to get our attention for a change.

Question: How can you share heart for the Lord through through serving your community?

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17)

“Push off on the ball of your foot as you step out.”

Last night the Pilates instructor took us down the lovely pathway winding among the trees and instructed us on how to walk properly. Conscious of our core support and the movements we chose to make was an interesting exercise as we aligned our bodies using the different cues she presented.

“Push off on the ball of your foot as you step out.”

As I consciously employed this technique I found my stride was longer and stronger. I felt the work in my legs. It was a seemingly small thing yet it made a big difference in my walk.  This morning I read this wise counsel from God’s word and it reminded me of what I had learned last night: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17

Immediately I thought of last night’s walking lesson. Here was the “push off” for my walking with the Lord through my day.

Just as my strides were stronger and longer when I intentionally pushed off in the right way, so would my walk today be stronger and more productive if I pushed off with an intentional awareness of doing what I’m doing and saying what I’m saying in the right way.

Doing whatever I do today in the name of the Lord Jesus means first I am His representative to the world around me. I’m His ambassador so I speak and act in a way that represents Him well.

It also means I am aware of His dynamic power within me giving me strength to not only stand tall and face the challenges of the day but also to enjoy and flourish right where I am walking today.

This will also keep thankfulness flowing through my day. Thankfulness keeps my heart aligned with His.

Today I am equipped with the tools I need to intentionally push off my walk in the right way, both in my step and in my heart.

Father in Heaven,
Align my heart and mind with Your purposes and power today. Help my step to be sure and my stride long as I intentionally focus both physically and spiritually on pushing off in the right way. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Whatever you face in your day today, be intentional in walking strong and tall in not only your step but in your heart as well. You will be amazed and thankfulness will brighten your pathway.

Question: How do you start your day with a thankful heart?

“For Everyone who tires to honor himself shall be humbled: and he who humbles himself shall be honored” Luke 14:11

At times I am respectfully amused at the repetition of certain themes in the Word of God – repeated over and over again so that you and I will not forget the importance of the message. This is one of those principles.

Many missionaries have given up honor, acclaim, and success at home in obedience to God’s call upon their lives. Perhaps to their surprise, God has honored them in many ways despite the fact that they purposely gave up all rights to such honor.

In every field of endeavor, the principle is true. Most men who seek genuine acclaim are thoroughly humbled along the way. Conversely, most people who humble themselves as a part of their commitment to Jesus Christ and His service are eventually honored.

I have seen this truth fulfilled on numerous occasions in the work of Campus Crusade for Christ to which the Lord has called me. Many young people have stepped into unsung roles of service for their Master. God has honored them not only with fruit for their hire, but also with a measure of acclaim they never would have achieved otherwise.

It is part of God’s plan to abase the proud and raise up the humble. Our goal should be committed service for the Savior. We should let Him take care of the honoring and the humbling.

Bible Reading: Matthew 23:5-12

“I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9, NLT

In the 19th century, a young Christian heard a Bible teacher say, “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man who is totally surrendered to Him.” The young Christian said to himself, “I want to be that man.” That young man was Dwight L. Moody, who became one of the greatest evangelists of all time, long before radio and television.

When the searching eyes of the Lord found Moody, they found a man whose “availability” far surpassed his “ability.” But God can do a lot with a little if He has all there is of it.

His father died at an early age of 41, leaving his widow in poverty, with a large mortgage on the home. The creditors grabbed everything they could, including firewood. Mrs. Moody tried to keep her family of nine children not only together, but together in Sunday School.

By the time Dwight was 17, he had become a successful shoe salesman. Moody accepted Christ in the back room of the shoe store through the guidance of his Sunday School teacher. He went on to become the great evangelist.

But he never got away from his simple commitment and the memories of the first time he stood up to speak as a young man, when one of the deacons assured him that, in his opinion, he would serve God best by keeping still. Another critic praised Moody for his zeal but pleaded with him, saying that he should realize his limitations and not attempt to speak in public. “You make too many mistakes in grammar.”

Moody patiently made reply to the man’s concern: “I know I make mistakes, and I lack many things, but I’m doing the best I can with what I’ve got.” He then quietly looked at the man and searchingly inquired, “Look here, friend, you’ve got grammar enough. What are you doing with it for the Master?”

God is looking for people today who will decide to take what they have and totally commit it to be used for the Master. God has made you who you are and placed you where you are with all the abilities you need to do what He uniquely created you to do.

It’s not time to sit back and muse about what you could do if you had what you don’t have. Rather, it’s time to do what you can do with what you do have and do it for the glory of God.

Questions: We all could improve in how we choose to serve God; what are some of the resources available to us to help us improve?

“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.” Ephesians 4:11

As I strolled by a group of shops, a sign caught my attention. It read: “We don’t have it all, but together we have it all.” I thought of how that applies to our church. God has given some the abilities and gifts to do that others cannot do, but to everyone He has given something. None of us have it all, but together ministering and worshiping in concert, together we have it all.

Paul spelled it out in writing to the church at Ephesus. In this passage Paul lists the five kinds of ministries or gifts which have been given by Christ to His Church with first three of these being itinerant ministers – apostles, prophets and evangelists – who were preaching wherever they found an opportunity, while pastors and teachers were attached to some congregation or location. One can only conjecture that perhaps prophets preached to believers and evangelists to unbelievers, while apostles addressed either.

Then Paul explains how Christ sets about to attain the goal of filling all things by giving His body gifted men to foster and further growth. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. These gifted men constitute what we shall call “support gifts.” These four gifts relate to the whole body of Christ, much as the major body systems relate to the physical body.

Just as the physical body needs each organ in order to function, so too does the church need every gift to carry forth its ministry. None of us have all the gifts, but every one of us has at least one gift that God has uniquely given to each of us specifically to carry out that specific task he has for us in His church.

Have you examined yourself and asked what gifts God has given to you? Have you sought to find where your gifts can best be used in your local church and in the church worldwide? What has God equipped you to do? He has created you for a ministry as He has all of us.

Together we are collectively His church. Each of us has a unique role to play just like a symphony and when we are all functioning together there is harmony. Remember, none of us have it all, but together we have it all.

Please open your Bible and read Ephesians 4:11-16

We would be poor stewards if we ignored the special abilities the Holy Spirit has given to us.

We must use our abilities to glorify Christ, not to glorify ourselves, or some other person, or even to glorify the gift itself.

Peter says, “Are you called to preach? Then preach as though God Himself were speaking through you” (1 Peter 4:11)

Do you possess musical ability? Share it with the rest of Christ’s family. Peter goes on, “Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies, so that God will be glorified through Jesus Christ – to Him be glory and praise forever and ever.”

We have the obligation to use our God-given abilities in a scriptural manner to help equip others for Christian service. The apostle Paul writes that spiritual gifts are given “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12, NAS)

In order to live supernaturally, it is important for us always to exercise our abilities in the power and control of the Holy Spirit – never through our own fleshly efforts.

Today’s Action Point: My motivation for using my spiritual gift(s) and abilities will be solely to glorify Christ through helping to equip other members of His body to be more effective and fruitful for Him.

“When will you ever learn that “believing” is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith.” James 2:20 (LB)

Is faith simply a frame of mind? A passive attribute of a Christian waiting to see what God has in store for you: a promotion, cancer, depression, betrayal, blessing, wealth, and injustice … some see it that way. They might say, “I’ll just wait to see what God is going to do for me and go with the flow.” That’s crazy talk.

Faith is active. It’s not passive. It’s a commitment. Look at your lifestyle and see what kind of actions follow as a result of it. If you’ve got the real stuff, faith can be demonstrated.

When you were baptized you made a statement to God and the people around you. You said, “I’m in!” But it doesn’t stop at baptism – not by a long shot! What else do you do? You start following the pattern of Jesus. Faith is proven by how we live. Don’t misinterpret this. What you do – your walking around, everyday life – doesn’t get you into heaven. It doesn’t make you saved. It doesn’t mean you’re a Christian; it shows you are a Christian.

The next steps:

· Celebrate the lavish gift of grace. You were saved because Jesus is crazy about you and wants you to be with him in heaven. Revel in it!

· Show your faith. Wedding rings don’t make you married, but they say “Yes” in a visible way. In the same way, baptism isn’t the thing that will get you into heaven but it’s an act of obedience. (Jesus commanded us to baptize and be baptized.)

· Share your faith with the people around you. If you are excited about what God has done in your life, then why not share it? There are lots of ways to do that. Get plugged into serving God. There are literally millions of possibilities. Point people to Jesus and love them like Jesus did. It’ll be something you will relish for eternity.

Question: Does your church, friend, family member, or community have a need that you are able to fill?

Related:
Do you want to open your home? practice radical hospitality?

One of the prerequisites for being a servant of God is to think like a servant. This would be fine if it wasn’t so impossible. We are all naturally wired to think only of ourselves.

Learning to give preference to others is one of the true marks of a Christian because it is so contrary to human nature. That’s why desiring it comes from God, and doing it comes through the Holy Spirit.

Paul said of Timothy: “I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares for your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:20-21, NLT).

Hidden in these verses is the secret to making an attitude of servanthood become a part of your thinking. It starts with Jesus. When you fall in love with Jesus, you focus on Him and worship Him. As you do this, you find out about Him—you get to know Him as you would a friend—and soon you come to know what matters to Him, until finally, you start to realize that what matters to Him, matters to you. This is not just a factor of familiarity, either. There is a supernatural element at work here as well. What matters to Jesus connects with the Holy Spirit in you, and the Spirit answers from deep inside you to the call of truth.

Other people mattered deeply to Jesus. He could read their hurt and pain. Scripture says He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Well where did that grief and sorrow come from if it didn’t come from the suffering of people around Him? In other words, He was carrying their grief. He was empathizing with their sorrow. Once a woman touched him in a desperate need to be healed, and He could feel the compassionate power go from Him even though He didn’t see who touched Him in the press of the crowd. He was that sensitive to the needs of those around Him.

Now truly, thinking like a servant doesn’t automatically make you one, but it goes a long way toward getting you there. If you are thinking like a servant, you are noticing others; and the more you are aware of others, the more the Holy Spirit can use you in reaching out to them. All this increases the opportunity for the gospel. People are simply not used to being served.

Take it from me, a guy who is not by any stretch servant material, it’s actually a relief to get off my most popular subject—me—and on to someone else. Ask God to help you think like a servant today, and I’m certain you’ll get a chance to be one.

Question: Where are there opportunities in your life (at home, work, church, or elsewhere) to “think like a servant”?

Please open your Bible and read Jeremiah 18:1-6.

In today’s Scripture passage, God is teaching us about His relationship with His children. He tells us that He will deal with us just as a potter works with clay and that we, like the clay, are in His hands. (Jeremiah 18:6)

God deals with believers in two ways. First, He is molding every one of us into the image of His Son Jesus. Secondly, He is shaping us for a specific purpose, one that is individually designed and brings about our usefulness in building His kingdom. Our part as the clay is to submit ourselves to His purpose. As the potter, He may subtract something from our life – similar to removing lumps from clay – or He may speed up the pace until we feel as if we are spinning. Or, desiring a new shape for His “vessels,” He might dramatically rework our pattern of living in order to start us in a new direction. Our responsibility is to accept any changes from the Master Potter.

We can do this confidently because we are in God’s hands. Scripture describes them as…creative hands whose skillful work is displayed in nature hands filled with righteousness…hands that give life and take it away…mighty and powerful hands that rescued Israel from Egypt and us from slavery to sin…hands that protect us…hands that were pierced so we might be made new.

When we think about being clay in the Potters’ hands and about the ways that God deals with us, we can relax knowing “in His hands” is exactly the place we want to be.

Question: What does the author mean when he describes us as “God’s hands”?