For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21
Happiest Day of My Life
A teacher asks her second-grade class to draw a picture of the happiest day of their lives. After they turn in their assignments, she straightens them into a pile and begins to scan through them. She pauses at one picture. The picture is of a funeral. She looks for the name at the top and calls the student up to her desk. When she asks him to explain, he tells her the happiest day of his life will be his funeral. The happiest day because he will go to heaven.
When the Christian Paul wrote "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain," he was expressing the heart of being a Christian.
From the Bible, Christians understand and believe that they are full of sin. They see the selfishness inside themselves. They see how much they resent God commanding them to do things they don't want to do. They realize how they really have nothing to offer God for him to look on them with favor.
They also understand and believe how much God loves them. Jesus lived a completely innocent and sin-free life. He then covered himself with all the garbage of our sin and guilt. Jesus took all the blame and all the shame we deserve. He stood still under the crushing justice of God's anger over our sin. His sacrifice guaranteed no Christian will ever experience even an ounce of God's justice.
Christians understand and believe that heaven is waiting for them. When they die, Jesus will welcome them into that place filled with joy and peace, where there is no sadness, and sorrows no longer exist. It's no wonder Christians look forward to the day when they leave their pains, their aches, and their struggles behind to gain the perfect happiness of living with Jesus forever!
The same love from Jesus that fills Christians with hope also fills them with purpose. Jesus' love leads believers to want to serve Jesus in any way and in every way they can. They live to give glory to Jesus.
I'm looking forward to my funeral. In the meantime, I thank Christ he's given me another day to serve him.
What about you?
Prayer:
Jesus, thanks for giving me heaven. I can't wait to be there with you! In the meantime, help me live for you, serving you with my whole life. Amen.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Place Your Confidence in Christ
It is an advertising message we hear and see quite often. We hear it when we see the knife being twisted and pounded on, cutting through wood and tin cans, then slicing a tomato like it’s not even there. We hear it when we see the vehicle going through thousands of hours of grueling tests, being driven over terrain most of us will never see, and emerging without a flaw. The message can come in many different ways, but the thought is essentially the same: If our product can do this, then it can certainly handle your needs.
The Apostle Paul had a similar message for his younger colleague, Timothy. Timothy was now on his own, leading the congregations around Ephesus while Paul, his mentor, returned to Macedonia. In the days ahead Timothy would face some tough challenges. Perhaps Timothy was thinking: “I’m not ready for this. I can’t do it.” Perhaps he was thinking: “Maybe I could do it if Paul was still with me, but by myself?…” Perhaps he was doing some comparing: “I could never be the kind of church worker Paul is.”
Do you ever think that way? When God puts a challenge before you, do you ever look at it as something someone else, someone with a greater faith, could handle much better or instead of you? Do you ever find yourself thinking, “I could never do what he or she does”? Are you struggling with questions of faith in your life? Are you struggling with particular sins that plague you? Do some of the things that God leads you to do seem overwhelming?
To Timothy and to you Paul says, “If God can work with me, God can work with you. In fact, I’m a perfect example of what God can do with a sinner. Take a look at what Jesus has done in my life, and place your confidence in Christ."
The grace of our Lord has also been poured out on you abundantly. Your sins are forgiven in Christ. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Don’t let the devil convince you that you are beyond God’s help or beyond hope. Don’t let him convince you that, because of your sin, God can’t use you.
Christ Jesus came into the world to save you. You have been shown mercy. Christ Jesus has appointed you to his service. And he will give you strength.
Prayer:
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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