Die to Self, Live for CHRIST

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

The decision to follow Christ is a challenge, yet living by the decision is a tougher and greater challenge.

"I am crucified with Christ . . ." Jesus Christ laid out the Ultimate Sacrifice through the shedding of His precious blood to wipe away the filth of our sins before the eyes of God [the Father]. When we declared our faith to God and believed in the Gospel of Salvation, it doesn't end there. As Paul had strikingly stated, we are crucified with Christ. That entails nailing our sins, guilty pleasures, and selfish desires to the cross. We DIE to SELF. We no longer take the sole command of our lives, but we surrender to the will of God. However, are we committed to it? Are we really seeking God's will in every bit of area in our lives? Dying to self is a daily, conscious effort. It requires constant desire to serve, glorify, and lift God's name up high; living a life of full obedience; and giving out our best for the Most. But undeniably, we fail so often. Yet His benevolent grace abounds much more. Howbeit, shall we continue in sin?

". . .nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me . . ." Still, to let Christ be the center of our lives necessitates complete surrender. We ought to be not just Christians by name, but by soul and spirit. The devil will, by all means, pull us away and will always look for an opportunity to lure us to sin; but by all means also, we must let the power of Christ be manifested in our lives. Because Christ dwells within us, we ought to draw closer to God and resist the devil so he may flee from us.

". . .and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God. . ."  Let our faith be evident as we walk by it and not by sight. When we deliberately choose to please God through our faith, we overcome the demons within and around us and shield ourselves from the fiery darts of evil and temptation, thus emerging victorious. But are we living life in the flesh by faith or life in the carnality of the flesh alone? Is it the cross which is before us and the world behind us or the other way around?

". . .who loved me and gave himself for me." When we consider what Christ has done for us, we come into deep realization of our nothingness. We ought to instill in our hearts and minds how he suffered and carried the burden of our repulsive sins, with tears and blood. Now brethren, let us imagine and picture out the passion and anguish of Christ as He blamelessly died on the cross for OUR sins; and every time we allow ourselves to be ensnared by sin, conjure this up in our minds. Let us think of God's unmerited favor and marvelous love toward us, sinners. This should be enough reason to live for Christ. Before we succumb into temptation and sin, we ought to remind ourselves the price it took to save us from the penalty of sin, which we can never repay.

In our daily walk with God, let us strive to be committed to service, gearing up through prayer and devotion.  Again and again, let us walk worthy of our title as ambassadors of Christ. Let us bear in mind to die to self, and live for Christ -- the Lord of lords and King of kings.

A Life that Counts

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"                                                             2 Corinthians 13:5 

More often than not, we need to stop in our tracks for a while, look back and ask ourselves, "Am I living a life that counts?"

In a world that has a lot to offer, so many things can wrap and consume us, a lot of concerns can narrow our vision, and different engagements can thwart us from doing our mission. As ambassadors for Christ, have we been doing our part? Have we stood up to the name? Are we walking the talk? Can others see Christ in us? 

It's easy to get swayed by the world, and get our attentions wrapped up to what the world tells us are important. The world says, "Money is important", "School is important", "Pleasure is important", "Work is important", "Social networking is important", and the list can go on and on. But what does the Bible say about that? Were we not told to set our minds on things above and not on Earthly things? As pilgrims, it is indeed very difficult to stay detached to Earthly matters, since we ourselves are living in this world. However, we have the option to stay rooted and grounded in Christ, and make our lives count. Yes, a lot of things are important, but are we using these matters to be an avenue of service? Or are we unknowingly becoming slaves of it?

Beloved, let us examine ourselves. What takes most of our time? What are the reasons behind the stuffs that we do? Is it for God's greater glory or merely for self satisfaction? Are we fired up or burnt out? Every day should be a time for a throwback and self-check. Let us pray as the Psalmist has prayed, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom."

We are no strangers to these words; however, human nature and certain bearings constantly tug us to pull away, making us feel hesitant to break free from dullness and contented to settle with the mundane. It takes humility, surrender and deep-seated eagerness to overcome such hindrances and struggles. Let us continually endeavor to prove our own selves, looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Rekindle the flame of each other and together let us make our lives count.