Saved to Serve in Love

**Fenny West** Sat 07 Jun 2008, 9:09 am

O that my life may useful be

As I serve Jesus faithfully;

And may His love be seen in me-

This is my earnest prayer.

Hess (Our Daily Bread)

13You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature^[; rather, serve one another in love. 14The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 15If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
Life by the Spirit

16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Galatians 5:13-16 (New International Version)

We thank God for the glorious liberty that comes through Christ. He came to set the captives free. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed. we were once bound, in prison, addicted to sin, blind to our sins, deceived and deceiving others until Jesus came to turn on the lights and were realized we were captives, lost, hell-bound, in Satan’s camp and tutelage.

However we now that our freedom does not amount to licentiousness to do as we please. That will be sinful in its self because there is constantly a battle within us between the natural man and the spiritual man, the outward or sinful nature and the inward man or spiritual nature. Someone likened it to a battle between too dogs and the one you feed more wins the day.

God saved us through Jesus Christ to be sold out to Him; to freely decide to be bond slaves to Him. Yes, we know we are free, but we choose to be slaves to Him, craving to do what pleases Him; aligned to Him and His will our lives pulsating with the chant: ’not my will but Your will be done’; addicted to Him, His Spirit and His Word.

1Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 1Thess4:1-2

We bring ourselves to Him as living sacrifices that will not crawl away from the altar as the refining fire of God comes to burn off the dross in us to reveal His gold and glory.

Living Sacrifices

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Rom.12:1-2

The way we serve Him, apart from worshipping, loving and obeying Him, is to serve others. So we are saved to serve Him and others. And to serve Him and others well we must not do it out of selfish motives but in love, otherwise it will amount to nothing.

May the Lord bless us to be a blessing. May He open the eyes of our spiritual understanding to realize that He saved us to serve like Abraham:

"I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,

and you will be a blessing.

Gen12:2 NIV

In Antioch they were serving the Lord, ministering to Him when a prophecy came that set Barnabas and Saul aside for serving others.
Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
Acts 13:1-2 (New International Version)

Jesus himself said He came to serve and not to be served. This was why He showed His disciples the example of washing their feet and told them to go and do likewise.

12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

John13: 12-15
Living in the Light

1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. (Ephe5:1-2 New Living Translation)

God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others