MONDAY October 26, 2020
Live to the Lord
For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Romans 14:7-9
Paul stipulated that, as Christians, we are to be servants of the Lord. We are to please the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything is central to Jesus Christ. Whether someone is a pastor, deacon or elder, they will be more effective in ministry if they see themselves as a servant of the Lord––pleasing Him.
Christians are to be servants––as a team––as a family. We are to be as a platoon! There is a chain of command to follow in a platoon. There are generals, colonels, staff sergeants, corporals and privates––a chain of command. In boot camp, I was stripped of civilian life. I learned how to follow orders and live a disciplined life. When we come to Christ, we are to strip away the old man and put on the new man in Christ:
…put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).
We live a disciplined life for the Lord; we do not live for ourselves! Whether we live or die, it is for the Lord! Paul, knowing this, made a powerful declaration: For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). Seriously, Christians need to focus on the Cross of Jesus Christ. It will give them strength to stand up for what is right. Others will see their boldness and confidence in the Lord. Christians should not be afraid of man, but, as Proverbs 9:10 teaches, fear God: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Sometimes we are blind to who we are in Christ. We need people to encourage us and exhort us to live for the Lord.
Be hard on yourself and easy on others. Carry your own cross but never lay one on the back of another.
~A.W. Tozer~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!