Why Go to All This Trouble

Why go to all this trouble?

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength". Deuteronomy 6:5 We certainly have the capacity to obey Deuteronomy 6:5, the first of the ten commandments. But those who have yet to be regenerated by putting their faith in Christ Jesus have a difficult, if not impossible, time walking out this first commandment. For Romans 8:5 clearly tells us: "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." In other words apart from Christ we live to please ourselves."But we who are in Christ desire to do that which is pleasing to the Lord. Christ For the City International was first formed and commissioned based on this commandment, "Love the Lord your God with all your Heart, Soul and Strength." It is out of our love for the Lord that we work, serve and give to others. Our missionaries, both long and short-term are sent into all the world so that others may have an opportunity to know and experience God's great love and provision for sin for their lives. We go for no other reason. We being submitted to God through the cleansing of Christ's sacrifice choose to serve the Lord. For when we fullfil this commandment, Luke 10:27, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; that is when we we desire go on to,‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” "The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." It is no longer us that lives but Christ who lives in us. And so as we "shod our feet with the gospel of peace" we walk, whether it be across the street or across the world, offering this Gospel of peace which brings salvation. That is why we "go to all this trouble". We desire for all people to have opportunity to be reconciled with Christ. "And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Mark 16:15