Serving Christ

Serving Christ and following him

makes us look like enemies

of a world that doesn't know Him.

Even Jesus was considered an outcast

to the world he lived in

because he lived a life

of complete obedience to God.

If you are going to serve Christ and follow him

If you are going to be like Him

You will be an outcast to a culture

living as it wishes.

Your walk with God and obedience to Him

draws you to a life of surrender to His will,

His desires, His love, His ways.

And when you walk that way, the path of love,

the path of a servant of Christ,

you will be hated by a world

living out its own desires.

Jesus gave us a wonderful game plan

for how to live in this kind of world.

It's the model I go back to again and again,

but it demands I lay aside my will, my wishes

and surrender to Him.

Here's what it looks like....

but don't read this if you aren't willing

to be convicted and challenged 

to live a different kind of life

in a fallen world.

Luke 6:27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.

35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

37 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”