Servant – Daily In His Love

Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Exodus 15:11

Who is like unto thee, O Lord? So glorious in holiness is He. Yet, the apostle Paul is telling us to yield our members to righteousness unto holiness. Through Christ we become servants of righteousness unto holiness. Holiness is to be SEPARATE, TO BE SET APART FOR THE LORD. We were purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. We were bought with a price. The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7:22-23, “likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” We are Christ’s servants. We respect everyone knowing the time is short, for we serve the Lord in righteousness and holiness. Only through Christ is love made perfect, anything else is consider vanity. “They speak vanity everyone with his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak,” said David in Psalms 12:2.

Have you ever considered what it means to have a double heart? A double heart is one who pretends to be your friend, but deep down in his heart he has something against you. It is a form of falsehood. It is like the saying that they will be your friend to your face, and then stab you in the back. It is a breach of confidence and trust. We must be aware that there are some who fall into the double heart situation due to an unfruitful desire that they have. A desire that is contrary to the will of God. If one does not surrender that desire to the Lord, they are in danger of becoming a slave unto sin instead of a slave unto Christ. Therefore, Paul told us to set our affection on things above, not on things on the earth, [see Colossians 3:2]. We must have Christ righteousness and holiness. We are to seek after the Kingdom of God and his righteousness [see Matthew 6:33]. Through Christ, we have been freed from our sins and became the servants of righteousness.

Let us continue to hold fast our profession in Christ Jesus. Let us not stumble and allow our faith to become useless. We must hold onto our profession with a clean heart knowing that Christ is the sure foundation for our faith. Our heart must be pure so we can see God [see Matthew 5:8]. It is through Christ that we have the ministry of reconciliation. Thank God that we have a high priest who is familiar with our weaknesses, so we can go to him in prayer. Jesus had strong words of warning about false profession in Matthew 7:21-23. Many would ignore the warning, but my friend it is real and as a Christian we must learn and heed Christ warning about having a false profession of our faith and consider that not everyone will be entering the kingdom of heaven. Those who say I did this for the Lord, and I did that for the Lord may have a double heart. God knows who they are. James said it well in the following scripture.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
James 1:22-24 KJV

We are not to deceive ourselves. We all should look at ourselves in a mirror and behold what we see. We should not forget what manner of man we were, going our own way. Surrender all to the Lord and take the narrow road to holiness and righteousness. Always keep our eyes on Christ. Allow Christ Spirit to cleanse your heart and mind. Ask in prayer to be clothed into the Spirit of Christ. That is what it means to put on Christ who is created in righteousness and true holiness. Scott Underwood song titled “Take My Life,” expresses the desire well in what we need, and that our heart, mind, and will need to be converted.

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth justice to the nations.
Isaiah 42:1

Christ is the servant of the Lord God to bring forth justice to the nations. Through the ages the blood of Christ will restore all those around the world who walked in the light of His Glory. Occasionally we hear the stories of missionaries who gave their all to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No matter what the future holds, we must remember that God’s soul delights in His servant Jesus Christ. Isaiah wrote and foretold the prophecies back in the 8th Century before Christ was born. In chapter 42 from verse one to seven we read about the coming Servant who was weak, despised, rejected, and slain, yet He was mighty and victories restoring Israel as well as the Gentiles to a new body in Christ, which is the church.

He shall bring forth justice to the nations, open the blind eyes, and bring out those who sit in darkness out of prison. Let us not cause another to stumble, let us not fall from doing what is right. Let us grow in the root of Christ love as is stated in Ephesians 3:17, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.” Let the seed take root in knowing who He is through the word and may it resonate within our hearts. May we not be offended like Jesus said in Matthew 13:21,”yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, immediately he is offended.” What does offend mean here in this scripture? It means to cause to stumble, or to hinder right conduct or thought. What did Jesus say chokes out the word? Is it not unbelief, offense, care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, [see Matthew 13:19-23]? What is the mystery of the tares in this same chapter 13 of Matthew? Jesus said that it is the Son of Man that sows the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom, which is on the earth. The enemy is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age or world. This is what we must chew on and comprehend. We must pray to have our understanding enlightened.

Christ purpose as a servant is to bring justice and light to the nations upon the earth. Christ purpose is to call humans into his light and glory. To be free from the many chains that has bound us into a prison. This includes racism which is the belief that one color or race of people is better than another. I have had first-hand experience with this having our house graffitied, egged, and toilet papered in the 60’s due to an assumption that was not based upon the truth. We are told in scripture, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus [see Galatians 3:28]. No person or individual is better than another, for we are one body in Christ. The apostle Paul made that clear in Romans 12:5.

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Romans 12:5

Plus, all members of the body have different offices. Members have different gifts according to God’s grace that is given within the body. The apostle Paul told us not to think of ourselves highly above anyone [see verse 3 of Romans 12]. There should be no jealousy or envying among members positions in the body of Christ, for we are members of each other. In Christ there is no status quo, for everyone is willing to help another when a real need exists.

It is so easy to go to war with each other over any issue. Recent political events across America are an example of how divisions are created because of political beliefs. Violence has broken out between neighbors who were once friends. Within the wall of the church, we may find the same issues of divisions. What should a Christian brother or sister do. What did the apostle Paul tell the Ephesians to do in chapter 6:12-13, “for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day.” Paul goes on to tell us what that armor is. Keeping it simple, it is putting on Christ, knowing our position in Christ, and praying always. We must remember that the battle belongs to the Lord. Remember that there was no sword in the hand of David when he prevailed over the Philistine. David knew the battle belonged to the Lord see 1 Samuel chapter 17. We must realize that the seed that is planted is for His harvest and that He has called us to unity within the body of Christ. We must recognize who the enemy is and pray for the light to shine forth in the darkness. Lord help us to be a light in a dark place and help us to pray for the saints around the world. Give us all strength to carry His light for all to see, and let us stay rooted in Christ Love, in Jesus’ name, Amen.