Free to Serve: What have you done lately for others, out of love? Follow me on this one: As followers of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who died for our sins, who paid our debt once for all, and who rose again, we have faith in Him. Why else would we be His followers and His disciples except for faith? Why would we be Christians if we didn’t have faith in Jesus? By definition, we wouldn’t. So it’s agreed, Christians believe in the Gospel and have faith in Jesus!

Now take your faith in Jesus and roll it together with a huge scoop of love. Make it a double scoop! Paul tells us in Galatians that, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” This love comes to us straight from God; it’s the fruit of the Spirit. James 2:26 says that “faith without deeds is dead.” The point being made here is that faith in our Lord Jesus will cause action on our part. In some way, and it probably will be different for everyone because God uses us all in different ways, faith in Jesus causes us to ACT on that faith. I encourage you to be obedient to God’s call in your life.

In Galatians 5:13-14, Paul takes the “equation” of faith and love, and slaps down this answer. “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Faith + Love = Serving Others. Express your faith in Jesus through love; love others by serving them.

Go read Galatians 5:1-15. Christ set us free; free from having to follow Hebrew traditions in order to worship God and have a personal relationship with Him, free from sin’s power, free from death and separation from God. In your freedom, serve others in love, through faith in Jesus who died for you! Go read Matthew 28 and pay special attention to verses 19-20. Go find ways to do stuff for others in Jesus’ name!

Depending on your outlook on life, there might be a need to change the way you think before you being serving God and serving others.  Our society, through all the advertising and social vibes that surround us, has convinced us that we should be selfish.  It's convinced us that we deserve the best of everything and to only look out for ourselves. Romans 12:1-2 – "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

Grow in God, grow spiritually, learn more about God, read your Bible more, learn what God’s plan for your life includes, allow God to change you.

When we spend time with God, we are changed.  Let me encourage you to spend time with God!  Dive into your Bible, get involved in a Bible study, plug into a church somewhere.  Overthrow the world’s impact on who God wants you to be.

There are going to be times when you feel like giving up.  There are going to be temptations that will haunt you.  You are going to sin in one way or another.  But you have a choice.  You can let everything take you down, you can let the walls crash in on you and destroy you, or you can turn to God and cry out for his rescue and strength.

Chew on this truth straight from Jesus, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

Psalm 42:11 – Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

** I encourage you to use these passages from God’s Word as a resource in your daily life. Don’t let this truth just rest in this online article. Use it! Let it become a part of you, let the scripture be written on your heart and move you to live your life in obedience to God out of love. Dive into God’s Word, spend time with Him in prayer, connect with other believers, live for Jesus who died for your sins and rose again! **

FYI – We have a Bible Study on Facebook.com and invite you to join. New scripture is posted daily. If you don’t have a Facebook Account, then you will need to create one to join the Bible Study. So, if you’re interested, sign into your Facebook Account and search “Facebook Bible Study - yes you can join!”