To Live is Christ...

To live is Christ, and to die is gain. The point the scripture brings us to is that there is an advantage regardless. If we are here on this earth, God has a reason! To live is Christ!!! How are we living? Are we recognizing our need for God as our Savior? Are we seeking out God's Will for our lives?

Paul, in verse 22, writes that while he is here living and breathing, it was an opportunity. It is an opportunity to know Christ, share His love with others, share what Christ has done in our lives, help others, encourage others, building up God's Kingdom… It is what he calls fruitful labor. Building up God's Kingdom. We have the chance to be co-workers in God's work, working to build up the Kingdom of God. We are not a mistake. We are His special creation! He has meant us for sooo much more!!

God has a reason for us being here!

God has a reason for me, just as He does for you!

He has a purpose for us even when we fail to see it.

To live---there is one qualification required: breathing. As long as you are breathing, you are alive. Your quality of life may be far from what you wish it was, but you are ALIVE!! To live is Christ.... Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary states: "to live is Christ—whatever life, time, and strength, I have, is Christ's; Christ is the sole object for which I live (Gal 2:20)."

The question is: Are you living for Christ? Am I living for Christ? We will each give an account to God, so we better give Him our best. He deserves our best! We need to examine ourselves. Scripture says that we need to examine ourselves to make sure we are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5). Are you showing evidence of spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-23)? Are you seeking Christ daily? Or, have you taken a step back? Are you walking in total obedience to God, the One who created you? (we each probably need to take time, stop, and repent for our disobedience...) What is quiet time like? Is it quality time between you and the Lord, or are there distractions?

Just some questions to help us think about our walk with the Lord, and where He has purposely placed us. We are here for a reason!!

A lot of us that have an intimate relationship with Christ, we long to leave this world and be with Christ in Heaven. The most important thing to realize is that God wants us to use us. He has here for a reason! Will we be obedient to Him? Will we trust Him? Paul recognized that though he wanted to go to Heaven, God had a reason for him continuing to live. God had a ministry he wanted Paul to be involved in. God wanted to use Paul greatly to help many to come to know Jesus Christ!

How can we encourage others?
How can we encourage other believers to continue in the faith and keep seeking Christ?

How can we witness~ and showing others the love of Christ?

Resist Leads to Restoration

Something happens when we keep seeking God and resisting the devil. Scripture says that when we resist the devil that he will flee. Flee: to shun, to avoid by flight.

1 Peter 5:8-11~ 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

James 4:7~ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

In both passages, we see the word "resist". Resist: Withstand, oppose… to stand against.

In order for the devil to flee like we want, we need to resist the devil: to stand against him. We need to withstand the devil. We need to withstand his taunts. When I was going through one study, I realized how important it is to have on the armor of God. The armor of God is to protect us from the devil's taunts.

Ephesians 6 lists the important equipment we need to have on:

1) Belt of truth (vs. 14): We have to have it "around our waist". What good is it if we have a Bible, but we do not have God's Word hidden in our heart? We will not be able to combat the devil's lies. John 8:44 reminds us that "there is no truth in him (the devil)… and he is the father of lies." The only way to combat the devil's lies is with God's truth--truth that is found only in the Bible.

2) Breastplate of righteousness (vs. 14): it is our protection. Our garments have to be of righteousness. If we are not walking in the light and disciplined in the Word, how can we ever survive the temptations of the Devil? Even Jesus was tempted. Only through obedience and reliance on the Lord God Almighty! See Matt. 4 and Heb. 4.

3) Fitted with the readiness (vs. 15): We must be ready. 1 Peter 5:8-9 particularly bring home this truth. Unless we are ready/on guard, we will be devoured by the Devil. Jesus calls His disciples to be "watchful and pray". To endure until the end, we must be on guard. The Devil can attack at any time!

4) Shield of faith (vs. 16): We must keep the faith. So often the Devil will haunt us with things from our past. The Devil will make accusations against us. He wants us to forget that we have been set free!!

5) Helmet of Salvation (vs. 17): Salvation has been brought to all men. Only Christ can save! The Devil wants us to drop our weapons, and he will taunt us any way that he can. He will use anything he thinks he can. We must stay in God's holy Word, in fellowship with Him, and other believers! We must keep our head on straight. Fighting the good fight. We will win in the end. We need to keep our head up and our eyes focused on Christ, and Christ alone! The Bible is our weapon. We cannot allow ourselves to focus on self or feelings, but keep ourselves focused on HIM!!

James 4:7 and 1 Peter 5:7-10 share one theme: resisting the devil. James tells us this is when the devil will flee, Peter then tells us that we are ministered to by God. God will restore us at the proper time. He will make us strong, firm, and steadfast! In the King James Version, it says it a different way: "After we have suffered a while, [Jesus would] make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, and settle you." It gives more detail as to what it would look like. It gives a glimpse of that beautiful restoration we experience after a time of trial whether it is tragedy or a different sort of trial. After a while, He WILL (it is a promise!) mend what is broken, make us stable, strengthen our weary soul, and settle us!

The steps (May we not forget one…): Look diligently at James 4:7 and 1 Peter 5:7-10. What are those steps?

Stay watchful.

If we are not watchful:

Trial comes
Devil taunts.

Devil seeks to destroy us (John 10).

We must be diligent!

We must stay on our guard!

We must remember the armor God has given us, to protect us from the Devil and his taunts.

We need to evaluate our lives!

1) Are we armed with the truth? Are we daily seeking God in His Word and seeking out fellowship and accountability with other believers?? Are we believing any of the Devil's lies?

2) Are we seeking to be obedient to God?

3) Are we living by genuine faith? 

4) Are we  standing on our guard, so we are ready? Are we "being watchful and in prayer"?
 

5) Are we believing Him for His salvation that can only come by recognizing we are a sinner and Jesus Christ came to pay the price for our sin?

His Kind of Love!

Romans 12:1-2: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

It is an appeal based on love. It is not any ordinary love. It is knowing God's great love. The love that went to great depths to be with us. We were stuck in our sin and were His enemy. Our sin seperated us from Him! Christ came..He died on the cross for our sins! Christ was sinless!! He didn't have to go! He went for you, and He went for me. He was risen on the 3rd day, because of God's great power. God's GREAT love!! There is nothing like it. Nothing can ever compare to it. Do you know that kind of love? (listen to song below)

The amount of love God has for us is unfathomable. It is only when we devote ourselves to Him that we see a glimpse of the Father's great love. The peace He gives: it surpasses all understanding. His comfort--it is better than anything we could ever imagine! Only Jesus can satisfy our hearts. Only He can love us like we need to be loved. Are we letting Him nurture our souls? Or, are we walking through life on empty?

Romans 12:1-2 states:

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

It is about giving all of ourselves to God. The best relationships are the ones where there are no secrets, lies, or hidden things. We don't hold back from those relationships. (or if we do, we shouldn't) Why do we hold back from God? Why do we move away from Him? He asks for all of us. As our CREATOR, He should not have to ask. It should be a given...and done out of love. In view of what He has done for us and continues to do for us, we should give Him all of us! We make up the church body when joined together. It needs each part. God has a purpose for us. How can we come to see that purpose when we are disobedient to God--not giving Him certain areas of our lives for example? Scripture reminds that God wants all of us... There are two commandments in the New Testament: Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind is the first one. Love. It boils down to this: Love. His Kind of Love: it's reckless for us. His kind of love will never give up!~

Are you being obedient?

Taking time to be alone w/ Him?

What holds you back in your relationship with Christ?

The verse continues: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

It is not about what the world is doing. It is not about what society says, or even what those closest to us are doing or saying. It is about being with Him! He loves like we can only imagine. We cannot even know what love really is until we have experienced God's love. Scripture  reminds us that God is love. It is specific when it says: "He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love." (1 John 4:8) To know love, we need to know Him. We need to acquaint ourselves with God. To be introduced to the Creator of the universe is only the beginning. It is about having a RELATIONSHIP with Him! Make it a daily habit to be with Him.

It is a relationship!

Do you have a relationship with Christ?

Do you realize your deep need for Him?

Where are you in your relationship with Him?

Do you have a daily time to be in the Word?

Do you have a prayer life? Special time of just talking with the Lord and praying?

Are we allowing Him to define us or does the world?

Who impacts our decisions: God through His Word and prayer or  the world/society?
Are we seeking to please God or others?

In Galatians, Paul shares these words. Soak them in. Meditate on them. "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ (Gal. 1:10)." Who do we find ourselves trying to please? Spend some time in reflection and confessing to Him the truth, asking for His forgiveness, and basking in His grace and abundant love! Those who know Christ personally through a relationship are called children of God. Think about how loved you are as His child.