Living for what I would die for - Daily Devotional November 7th, 2009

Daily Bible Reading - 2 Chronicles 36, Hosea 4, Acts 20

Living for what I would die for.

Many people have found something to live for, just look at all the causes on facebook. Few people have found something worth dying for but not many of us are living for what we would die for. Two people that come to mind in the Bible that lived for what they would die for are Jesus and the Apostle Paul. Jesus was qualified to die on the cross because of the way He lived His life on earth (sinless perfection). Paul although not sinless or perfect also seemed to live for what he would die for.

Acts 20:22-24, "And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God" Paul, knowing the things that awaited him from city to city and that he could loose his life did not stop preaching the gospel because he had finally come to a place of living for what he would die for. Paul says this in Philippians 1:21, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain". This statement is so powerful and one that we need to take note of as Christ followers.

As Christ followers we may say that we would die for our faith but yet we are not living for our faith. Or in other words, we really are not living for what we say we would die for. If we say that we would die for our faith, if that is what it came to, then certainly we should be living for our faith. Our life, actions, thoughts, words, deed, etc. should all point to the fact that we are madly in love with Jesus Christ. Too often times though people do not even know what we believe or that we are Christians. We need to be like Paul in Acts 20 and desire to finish the course and the ministry that was entrusted to us by God. The only way we can finish that course is if we actually get on that course.

The truth of the matter is this. If you are not living for Jesus then even though you might say you would die for Him you will not. If you cannot die to your own lusts, passions and desires how will you give up your life for Him in the end. Once again Jesus was able die the death he did because He lived for what He would die for. Today as you see Paul's statements in Acts 20 let it challenge you to examine your life and see if you are truly living for what you would die for.

Tomorrows Bible Reading - Ezra 1-2, Hosea 5, Acts 21-22

Dream Big
Ben