Skip to main content

Freedom to Serve One Another in Love!

August 9, 2007

I have been reading the Bible a bit differently this year. I wanted to get a better grip on the New Testament and in my past readings I usually reach the New Testament in October or November. So, this year I am reading two chapters in the Old Testament (one in the poetry books and one in the rest, Law/history/prophecy) and two chapters in the New Testament with an additional chapter in the Gospels, to get better acquainted with my Savior. Did that sound complicated? It really isn't.

Anyway, I was recently in the book of Galatians and was awestruck by the simplicity with which Paul explains the liberty that we have in Christ. In essence, we have been called to liberty... to server one another! That immediately struck me as a tremendous contrast, liberty to serve.

My liberty in Christ presents me with the privilege of serving the Savior. But it also insists that I serve my brothers and sisters in Christ. As I exercise this freedom I will begin to exhibit what Paul details in verses twenty two and twenty three as the fruit of the Spirit. The battle between my flesh and the Spirit (v17) is tireless and thus I need to constantly remind myself to walk in the Spirit.

This truth has helped me recently. I have been able to better control my tongue, thoughts, actions, and reactions. I have been a believer in Jesus Christ for many years but I still have that continuous fight with my flesh as I'm sure you do. But, each time I gain the victory I am spiritually stronger. Not that I don't have to be alert to diabolical attacks of the flesh but I am encouraged that the Spirit is gaining precious ground in my walk with Christ.

I have noticed that the fight with the flesh is a worldwide battle. It is not limited by international borders. Living here in Brazil, a country not founded on Christian principles, it seems that the flesh has won the battle. Pray for our people and our family as we ministry to our Christian brothers and sisters at Hope Baptist Church.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Daughter and dog...

About six months ago we discovered that Ann was pregnant and were very excited for she and Jackson. We will have babies on this side and that of the Atlantic. We weren't prepared for that news and we we were even less prepared for the news that our little dog is pregnant. To date we have spent more on the dog than on Annie (don't tell her... Ann that is). Ann has yet to discover whether her baby is a boy or girl. Both ultrasound images were inconclusive. Though I did some further investigation of my own and was startled with what I found. to me it looks as if the baby is definitely a boy and has some resemblance from both sides of the family. Take a look for yourself and let me know what you think.
3 comments
Read more

Entertaining Angels

Hebrews 13:1 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Hospitality is a gift. It can also be a learned trait. Some people seem as if having strangers in their homes is normal and natural. Others have to fight against themselves in order to have friends over for a meal.  The author of Hebrews says that some have entertained angels when they thought that they were helping a stranger. That's weird. This statement brings questions to mind. Do angels eat? Of course, silly, they eat angel food cake!  Seriously, who in the Bible entertained angels by accident? Well, how about Abraham, Lot or Jacob? Granted, Jacob's treatment of the Angel of the Lord was questionable. But he did wrestle the night away, when in fact that angel could have dislocated Jacob's hip early in the match.  Abraham, read Sarah, prepared a big meal and Lot had to offer ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Music Conference

This is going to be a long post. Just a few days ago I was trembling in my boots as the First Baptist Church of Lake Orion's missions team was just hours from their arrival. My fears were many because I felt that the weight of success or failure of their visit would fall on me and I could see a tremendous failure looming. I knew that the team would come well prepared and ready to minister. I knew that there would not be a lack of talent and experience on their part. I knew that they would have great expectations I just didn't know how our people would react or if they would attend. My fear was that the attendance would be poor and that the team might go away frustrated. God be praised! God be glorified! God be worshipped! I highlight the previous paragraph because my Father deserves all of these and more. Let me explain. It is a wonderful story. The team, Jim and Hannah Watson, Faith Gaskell and Brenda Johnson, arrived safe and sound on Tuesday, July 19 though Brenda lost he...
2 comments
Read more