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Honor Christ in All We Do

We are coming to a close on Philippians chapter 1. Today we are going to read verses 19-30 with the focus on verse 21. We begin in verse 19 where Paul continues his argument that preaching and following Christ will be to his benefit in this life and in his eternal life. Verse 20 we should not be ashamed to boldly preach Jesus. We should have no regrets in giving up our secular life to follow Christ. If we show no shame in following and preaching Christ, then others will see what we have in Christ and do the same. Verse 21 is the critical verse in this whole section. Paul reminds us that to live for Christ, and to die is gain is so powerful in the way we should live our lives. When we follow Christ we are going to live abundantly today and for eternity and if we should be martyred for our belief and following Christ then we have gained the kingdom of heaven, what Paul is saying when we choose to follow Christ nothing can come against us. We will have eternal life with Him and if it should be that following Christ brings death the result is the same, eternal life in heaven. No matter what, when we live for Christ our reward is heaven! In Verse 22 we see Paul's dilemma that if he lives in the flesh he will continue to do God’s work to bring people to Christ so Jesus may save them. His choice is this “ God take me home now so I can escape this world and live with you for eternity or God keep me here to continue to harvest the souls you have put before me. Verse 23 is fact-based with the obvious choice made clear. It is better to be with Christ in heaven. But in Verse 24 Paul concludes that God is not done with him here and he is wanted by God to do His work and to continue to preach, teach and prepare souls. Verse 25-26 Paul understands what needs to be done and that is to stay until God calls him home. Verse 27-28 reminds us that God will use us when we make ourselves available. So be sure your conduct and the way you represent yourself is of Christ and not the world. Verses 29-30 conclude chapter 1 and reminds us that we are chosen by Christ and if Christ has suffered then we shall also suffer. This is the conflict that Paul has been given when he decided to serve Jesus Christ. The bible is filled with scripture instructing us to abide in Him (1 John 2:28) for in His return we will not be ashamed. We are to represent Christ in the best way possible and that way is to separate ourselves from the world’s view for living. If for one day we could remove all the media devices in our lives and only focus on God and read His word for that day, we would see a significant change in our thoughts, in our speaking and in our reactions to the world. That does not mean we become as the world would like to label us as “holier than thou”. What it does mean as we start to cleanse our minds and allow God to work on and in our hearts. To let God show us our inner selves and to truly see who Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit really are. If you look at the world as one big garden you would see that there are many broken branches that need to be mended and grafted into the olive tree that God has planted (Romans 11:17). God calls upon each one of us to search for the lost and point them to Jesus so He may mend them. If you don’t fully understand God’s plan and recognize how to get there, then how can you live the life He has given to you? We have been given the opportunity to live with Christ for eternity. Along with that opportunity is the road map to getting there. The first thing we need to do is receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God, repent our sins and seek forgiveness from our Lord and Savior and then seek forgiveness from others. It is not complicated. What is complicated is our stubbornness and lack of desire to walk with the Lord and have Him change your focus in life. We know this through God’s word that when we are absent from our body, then we are present in the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). This means we are all going to see Jesus and He will let us know if we are good and faithful servants (Matthew 25:21) or will you hear “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23). Our attitude, demeanor and actions will always dictate what Jesus is going to tell us. The safest place to be is walking on the path that God has mapped out for your life. To be in God’s will and represent Him the way we are supposed to and the way God deserves to be represented. My prayer is that we walk the path that God has laid before us. That we would neither look right nor left but to stay focused on God looking straight at Him. I pray that we would make God our priority in our life and that we will commit to Him with total respect, admiration and love. I p[ray eyes and ears be opened and that our hearts would ripe for the harvest. I pray that we would call on You Father to do a mighty work in us so that You may do a mighty work through us. In Jesus Mighty Name I pray Amen! Amen!