Selfless Service

To serve others, I love.
To serve my enemies, hard.
To serve my three boys, hard, amazing, hard and sometimes even depends on the day.

Okay truth be told serving most times can depend on how I feel. That's awful isn't it? But its true. It's something I battle daily. Overcoming how I "feel" and doing what I know is right and obedient.

Jesus said, "For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28

That is selfless serving at its finest. Its true, genuine, real, authentic and completely amazing. If He came and did it, and He lives in me, I can do it too.

How?

First step, die to myself.

"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life." Luke 9:23-24

To "die" to myself literally means suffocating selfishness until it can no longer breath. This is so darn hard, but the more I focus on Christ and others, with a genuine love and godly motives, the more I begin to pull oxygen from self.

In my head this makes complete sense. In my soul, I know this is absolutely what I desire, but in my heart is a war.; a war between self and the Spirit.

The Pharisees struggled a great deal with this. They focused more on the law serving them and their wants, they failed to see the reason, meaning, purpose and love of serving Christ and others.

YIKES! Is the inside of my cup dirty?

Are my motives for serving to receive gain and honor and praise?

Sometimes, yes. Admitting that is hard, but its truth and freeing and brings me to a position of humbleness that is completely required to serve selflessly.

Serving will never come natural. It is an intentional action, I must chose to live out daily, with the purest of motives for Christ and others.

I might be eager to run into the trenches with hurting and broken and messy women, but in doing so I need to make sure my heart and motives, better yet I need to make sure the inside of my cup is clean.

Am I doing this because Jesus is the ultimate lover and victor of my life?

Am I doing this because I want others to receive the same mercy and grace I receive daily from Christ?

Am I truly willing to count the cost, give up my life, shoulder my cross and follow Christ to the place of death?

This is what is required to selflessly serve Christ and others.

Selfless serving requires us to walk into the unknown, the scary, the dirty, the broken, the unfamiliar and give up our time and self so others can know Christ.

Jesus, reveal my true intentions and motives for why I am serving. If it is for selfish gain, correct me and stop me immediately. Jesus fill my heart with a desire to serve selflessly. I know the cost, I know the responsibility is great. I know the privilege is a gift. I know my trust is prudent and necessary and a must. I know my purpose and design is to serve You. I know all these things, Jesus, so help me live them and do them with a loving, merciful and compassionate heart that has been rescued and redeemed by the Most Holy of Holies. Amen

Rescued and Thankful

S-Rescued

S-"So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1

A-God's Truth

L-Rescued from the Curse

   "But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Galatians 3:13

As I read this passage over and over, I finally stopped and asked God to show me what He wanted me to get out of this passage. I didn't want to walk away without being impacted in such a way that it stuck with me all day.

This is what the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart.

"Why live with so many complaints? Why not live with thankfulness? Why live stressed and worried and in fear? Why not live with joy, peace, and contentment? You have been rescued from death. Christ took your place. He took those nails for you. He took your place upon the Cross. He took your sin upon Himself, so that you could be saved. He took the curse for your every wrongdoing.

How does this so easily slip your mind? It should stay on your mind at all times, and bring joy to your heart. You are loved, you are rescued and set free. Isn't that enough? It's more than enough. It's more than you deserve. So why, why not focus on His love and His grace and walk in joy and freedom and faith, rather than worry, fear, frustration, and doubt?"

How is it brethren, that we, as followers of Christ Jesus fail to walk confidently in the Lord, overflowing with joy and thankfulness for what Christ has done?

We have been rescued
We have been set free
We have been forgiven
We have been saved

So, how can we complain less and praise more?
How can we worry less and trust more?
How can we be less frustrated and angry and be more merciful, forgiving and loving?
How can we focus less on ourselves and more on Christ?
How can we be less sad, less empty, and more joyful and full?

By remembering what Christ did for us on the Cross. By storing His Word within us more and the things of the world less.

And best of all, we can spend more time in prayer praising God and being thankful.

S-Spend time as a family listing out all you are thankful for each day and once you are finished spend time in prayer thanking God for them.

      -The more you list out what you are thankful for, the more the Spirit will reveal to you how faithful, loving, merciful, and good God is. You will begin to see His promises for your life.