If the call to love others and to serve them is a burden to you, then you really are living for you and not for JESUS. We were bought with a precious price. The Cross is proof. JESUS sacrificed it all……..all for us to live out our lives for HIM.
DON’T LIVE AS YOUR OWN……..LIVE AS IF CHRIST OWNS YOU!
1 CORINTHIANS 7: 23 “GOD PAID A HIGH PRICE FOR YOU, SO DON’T BE ENSLAVED BY THE WORLD.” NLT
Because we were bought with a price, then we are to glorify GOD in our bodies and our lives. Our whole being should honor HIM, love HIM and sacrifice for HIM. Love is everything in this relationship with JESUS. While HE walked the earth HE gave us an example of how to love. Oh what a wonderful world we would have if people just loved those around them!
1 JOHN 4: 19 “WE LOVE BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.”
HE……..first………loved……..us. That is the price HE paid for us, going to the Cross. HIS love is boundless, endless and definitely goes beyond our understanding.
Let’s do an examination this Sunday, the LORD’S day and just ask ourselves who truly owns our heart?
God’s faithful and eternal love should stun us………that HE loved us that much to die for us in the way that HE did. Paul David Tripp says this:
“GOD’S LOVE, WILLINGLY GIVEN, PROVIDES THE ONLY HOPE THAT I CAN HAVE LOVE IN MY HEART THAT I JOYFULLY GIVE AS WELL.”
GOD owns us with HIS pure and holy love for us. We are HIS children. We are undeniably HIS. We were bought with a price, a price of pure grace. It was a beautiful gift. Do we receive it?
Today let’s ponder this great gift of love and hope. HIS love and HIS authority over us is so worth it because everything is worth it to be HIS.
Charles Spurgeon says it this way:
ONES WALKING WILL BE RIGHT WHEN HIS DELIGHT IS OF THIS KIND, FOR WHERE THE HEART GOES, THE LIFE WILL GO.”‘
If your heart is owned by JESUS, then you delight in HIM and walk for HIM. Because your all and all is with HIM, so goes your life with HIM. In return HE transforms us into HIS own. And what a beautiful blessing and gift that is!
JOB 22: 26 “SURELY THEN YOU WILL FIND DELIGHT IN THE ALMIGHTY AND WILL LIFT UP YOUR FACE TO GOD.”
HEAVENSREEF 
Our church ladies did a book study on Slave by John MacArthur. It was eye-opening to see that most of the translations of servant are in true meaning, slave. We are all slaves to someone / something, as your verse 1 Cor 7.23 indicates. When we are slave to God, we have a perfect Master, and are free to serve Him joyfully.
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Don’t you just love John MacArthur?! Our Pastor Adam studied under him! And Adam has spoken about MacArthur often. I do have many of his books too.
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If Christ owns me, then may my life reflect His love, not mine. I want to live each day surrendered, not striving.
You Are Loved, Maxine.
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Our Pastor Adam just preached on this yesterday. To be loving and to surrender!
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