Ephesians 5:1-2

Ephesians 5:1-2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Philippians 2:4-8 (KJV) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:14-15 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

From the beginning of creation, we were made in God's image. We were made to fellowship with God, free from sin and death, to do good works, to sacrifice for others, to live lives for the betterment of people. God made us to love the world. When our spirits become vindictive, when our hearts do not cry out for justice, when we do not bring the peace of God to troubled situations, we function according to the dictates of our fallen nature and not in the image of our heavenly Father. When we no longer weep for the lost and our hearts become hardened to the travail and sorrow of others, we have become contaminated by the evil one, and we have lost our joy and our purpose for living. When we begin to look out only for our own best interests, we have lost God's vision, and our lives no longer serve as a love offering to our Lord who gave his all. Paul challenged the Ephesians: Be imitators of God, as dearly loved children; PORTRAY HIS LIKENESS, HIS LOVE. Jesus defined and exemplified God's love by laying down his life and sacrificing himself on the cross for the sins of all people. His life of total obedience and abiding love pleased God; therefore, He became a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

If we want to serve God effectively, we must take up the cross and follow Christ's example. When we hold back from actively loving people, we become sounding brass, a worthless gong. Our words not longer bring peace and freedom to the anxious and the captive. When we are self-centered, we become JUST LIKE THE WORLD, going our own way. When we reject God's image, we soon reflect the image of fallen man: selfishness, lustfulness, debauchery, and blindness to God's plans and his kingdom. God's love is a sacrificial love. Because of his great love, God sacrificed everything for us: the bright and morning star, the light of heaven, even his only begotten son, Jesus Christ. I often wonder at our lack of commitment, our lack of compassion and concern for the lost and the hurting. Shouldn't our hearts break for the troubled, the downcast, the sick, and those lost in sin? Are we moved by the needs in the world or are our eyes so much on ourselves and our families that we reject and judge others, blaming their problems on their faults and failures instead of reaching out to them with God's merciful love?

The world should know we are believers by our intense love, not by our harsh criticism. Paul wrote: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Our Savior gave his life for his enemies. Will we do likewise or as the Pharisees do we sit in the outer court of life, pronouncing judgment on those who pass by? Do we love the gays more than we criticize and reject them? Do we care for those who have aborted their children, praying for their eyes to be opened and their spirits healed? When we judge other people's sins, we must remember that judgment begins with God's house. We are the light of the world, the salt of the earth. When the salt loses it saltiness and the people of light sit in darkness, we fail to show forth God's everlasting love and unending grace. If you find your heart lukewarm or cold today, repent of your old nature and seek him with your whole heart. He will fill you and revive you to rise and shine for him today, like a star in the universe.