Who Are You Living For?

"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again." - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15



Most of us are very familiar with this chapter of 2 Corinthians, especially verse 17.  It is one those verses that most every Born Again Christian can quote, but have you paid much attention to the verses that precede it?  As I was reading one of my devotions this morning, there was something in these verses that stood out to me and really spoke to my heart.  Who am I living for?  Am I living my life for me or am I living my life for Christ?

The implications of these two verses could not be any clearer.  Since we all are spiritually dead and that Christ died for all, then we are no longer to live for us, but rather we are to live for Christ.  Sounds pretty simple, pretty cut and dry, right?  It may sound simple and easy, but it is a hard thing to do many times.  Our flesh still wants to have it's way and have it's lusts and desires fulfilled.  That is why we must daily deny ourselves and crucify our flesh that we might surrender all to Christ and live for Him.  I am so amazed at how many people will profess Christ as their Savior, but yet they still live for themselves.  Jesus Christ purchased our pardon on Calvary and freed us from the penalty of sin, so He has every right to demand that we live for Him and not for ourselves.

If you and I are living for Christ, then it doesn't matter what the church down the road is doing, it doesn't matter what another person says about us, the only thing that matters is that we are living for Jesus Christ and pleasing Him!  In the last couple of days I have seen this played out in our community, people so worried and concerned with others are saying and doing.  Quite frankly, I am not concerned with what others are doing, I have a hard enough time just trying to live my life for Christ.  In the end, it isn't going to matter what someone else did or some other church did, the only thing that is going to matter is whether or not you lived your life for Christ.

So the question is this child of God: are you living your life for you, or are you living your life for Jesus Christ, the One who died for you?  When I examine my life, unfortunately, I am forced to conclude that so many times I am living for me and not for Christ.  What about you?

Prayer For Today:

Heavenly Father, help me to examine my heart today and see whether I am truly living my life for You.  Help me to die daily, to crucify my flesh, surrender all to Christ, and live for Him with my whole heart.  In Jesus name, Amen!

Being Crucified With 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


I know that this is a verse that many of us have memorized, but how many of us have really considered the implications of this verse?  For me personally, I can honestly say that I had not really grasped the reality of this verse and what it means concerning my walk with Christ.

First, Paul says that he is crucified with Christ.  How many of us can truly say the same thing?  Have you crucified your flesh today?  Every day you and I must crucify our flesh, our desires, and our lusts.  Then Paul says that the life he now lives is not his, but it is Christ living in him.  Once you trust Christ as your Savior and Lord, your life no longer belongs to you.  Now your life belongs to Christ and you are to allow Christ to live through your life.

Do you have victory in your life over sin, your flesh, your desires, and your lusts?  If you are losing the battle, it is because you are not crucifying yourself with Christ.  Today, ask the Lord to empty you of self, to empty you of your worldly lusts and desires.  Then ask the Lord to fill you with His Spirit and His power.  If you and I are going to live a victorious life, we must crucify our lives everyday with Christ.

Are you crucified with Christ?  The life you now live, is Christ living in you?

Prayer For Today:

Heavenly Father, help me to crucify my life, my sin, my desires, and my lusts each day.  Empty me of self and fill me with Your Spirit and Your power.  May Christ live in and through my life as I crucify self each day.  In Jesus name, Amen!

Denying Yourself

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." - Matthew 16:24


Why is it that we are so quick to quote John 3:16 and talk about God's love for us but we don't like to talk about what Jesus said in Matthew 16:24 or Luke 9:23?  I believe that we like to skip over verses like Matthew 16:24 and Luke 9:23 because they don't sound very appealing.  The thought that God loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son for us and that if we believe in Him we will have eternal life is a wonderful thought! However, when we think about having to deny ourselves and having to take up our cross to follow Jesus, that sounds like a bit much.

If you have not already figured it out, you are going to spend your lifetime denying self.  When you trusted Christ as Savior, you went from being self-centered to being Christ-centered.  One of the greatest temptations that you and I will face is to affirm ourselves while we follow Christ.  I'm afraid too many Christians today want a Jesus that does not impede their personal desires and ambitions.  We say "Lord, I want to follow you, but I want to stay where I am."

Most Christians today want to keep their lives unruffled, undisturbed, safe, and secure.  However, Jesus tells us that if we are going to follow Him and be His disciple that we must first deny ourselves, then we are to take up our cross and follow Him.  The startling reality of Matthew 16:24 is that most of us today are not truly following Jesus, even though we may have trusted Him as Savior.

Are we truly denying ourselves?  Are we denying all of our dreams, our hopes, our ambitions, and our desires? Are we totally surrendered to Christ in every area of our lives?

I would like to share with you three things that we all need to start each day doing:

1. Deny myself
2. Surrender to Christ
3. Live in the power of the Holy Spirit

Prayer For Today:

Heavenly Father, today may I deny myself and totally surrender every part of my life to You.  Help me to not be self-centered and focused on the temporal, but help me to be Christ-centered and focused on eternal things.  Use my life in such a way that You would receive all the honor and glory.  In Jesus name, Amen!