All For Christ - Daily Devotional November 10, 2009

Daily Bible Reading - Ezra 5-6, Hosea 7, Acts 25-26

All For Christ

The Apostle Paul looked at every circumstance in his life as an opportunity to preach Christ. Whether he was well, sick, free or imprisoned he saw it as an opportunity for Christ to be glorified. Paul says in Philippians 1:20-21 "...with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

In Acts 26 we see Paul speaking to King Agrippa about Christ. How could a man held captive speak so boldly? How could he have such a positive outlook on the circumstance he found himself in? I believe Festus wondered the same thing as he interrupted Paul in Acts 26:24 "...Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind". Ah, yet if Paul was out of his mind, he was out of his mind for Christ. Paul was determined that if he was going to be held captive it was going to be for the glory of God and so that someone might come to know Christ as he did. King Agrippa was impacted by Paul's words as we see in verse 28, "And Agrippa said to Paul, in a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian? 29And Paul said, Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am -- except for these chains."

In Philippians 1:12-13 we see this same mindset as Paul speaks to those in Philippi "I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ". Truly everything Paul endured, every situation he found himself in was for Christ. He used each situation to preach Christ Jesus.

I have to ask myself if I have the same mindset, am I using every situation, every opportunity to preach Christ to those that need Him? When I am at the grocery store, am I there just to get groceries or could there be a checker that needs to know Christ? When I am sick do I focus on my pain or do I pray and believe that God will heal me and turn the sickness into a testimony of His healing power? I know I have a long way to go. How about you?

Let's live today as though it is 'All For Christ' and see what He will do through us.

Tomorrow's Bible Reading - Ezra 7, Hosea 8, Acts 27

Dream Big,
Katie