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As I finish up the last of 3 parts based on a Passion to Know Christ, I want to talk about what it means to have a passion to serve Him. The apostle Paul had an incredible passion to serve Christ. Despite experiencing hunger, cold and exposure, prison, beatings, and shipwrecks, Paul was willing to endure them simply to be a servant of Christ. Why do you think he was not just willing to endure these things, but was able? After having seen the movie The Passion of The Christ, all I can say is that Paul had to have been motivated by an enormous amount of gratitude and a true vision for God's great purpose for the world and he was comforted by the Holy Spirit.

Paul was rescued on the road to Damascus. His conversion experience was surprising, immediate and sudden. I know for many of us, our conversion experiences may have been more gradual and over time, but it is still important to realize that Jesus rescued us just as He rescued Paul. Why? Simply because Jesus loves us - He saved us from wrecking, ruining, and destroying our lives for eternity.

Do you realize that Jesus didn't have to forgive our sins? He chose to do it. While most of us will probably never have to endure cold, hunger, or shipwreck in service to God, we will most likely experience trials that will hopefully bring us closer to Christ.

Have you ever wondered what your purpose was in life? I know for many years I wondered this and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Just read God's word. He makes it abundantly clear as to what our purpose is. God's purpose for us is that we live a life that glorifies Him so the whole world will know Jesus Christ and come to accept Him as their Lord and Savior. We are called to share this Good News with everyone.

In Matthew 28, verses 19 and 20, Jesus tells us, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 25, verses 35 through 40, says, For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Serving Jesus with real passion requires drawing upon His strength instead of our own. When He calls us to do something for Him—whether it is to greet, teach, lead, sing, witness, or be a godly friend to someone—we have the power of God flowing through us. He gives us exactly the gifts we need in order to do whatever it is He calls us to accomplish. While we might require some special training or need to learn something new, we should never doubt God's ability to strengthen us and provide whatever it is we may need. If God wants us to do something, then He will most definitely equip us for it.

Our motivation for developing a passion to know Him should simply be to glorify Him. Our purpose is to live our lives so that we are always pointing people to God and He is glorified. He gave us life not just for ourselves but for Himself—in order that He would be glorified though us.

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

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