When Christ Who Is Our Life

 

When Christ Who Is Our Life 

"When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:4)  

    The apostle Paul in his letter to the Christians at Colosse, encourages them to make Jesus Christ a top priority in their lives. "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."(v.2) 

    The question for those at Colosse, is the same question for us today. Is Jesus Christ our life? Is He who we live our entire lives for? Is He the most important person in our lives? As Christians, He is to be top priority. He is to be our life. 

    "One of the most used phrases when making excuses for not doing something is, “I don’t have time.” That is never true. We all have the same amount of time. In this area we are all equal. We all have 24 hours every day and 60 minutes in each hour. We must learn to prioritize our time. When I say, “I don’t have time,” what I am really saying is, 

“This is not a high priority with me.” (Ministry 127) 

    We owe our lives to the one who gave His life to pay for our sins, and make a way for us to have eternal life. No one else has done that but Jesus Christ. To think that if it were not for His love, and willingness to die in our place, and take the punishment for our sins, we would have no hope. What we would have is the judgment of God upon our lives. 

    I have also heard the words, "You do what you want to do." "You make time for who, and what you want to make time for." It's a choice. 

The statement the apostle Paul made to the Christians at Philippi. is a motto that all of us as Christians should make, and commit to: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Phil.1:21) 

    How is it asking to much, to live for Christ? Why is it not a priority to have Him be our life. In all that we are, and all that we do, is to be centered around the person, and purpose of Jesus Christ? What will you do about Jesus Christ today? Will He be your life today, and forever? GP 

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Priorities Of Our Spiritual Lives (Bundle)

 

The Value Of Knowing Christ 

https://cjour05.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-value-of-knowing-christ.html

A Top Priority In 2020 

https://cjour05.blogspot.com/2012/01/top-priority-in-2012.html

Who Am I? And Why Am I Here? 

https://cjour05.blogspot.com/2020/09/who-am-i-why-am-i-here.html

Boundaries 

https://cjour05.blogspot.com/2017/04/boundaries.html

Keeping Our Focus 

https://cjour05.blogspot.com/2017/01/keeping-our-focus.html

What Is Important To You? 

https://cjour05.blogspot.com/2016/05/no-one-can-serve-two-masters-for-either.html

American Priorities 

https://cjour05.blogspot.com/2013/07/american-priorities.html

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What Are We Looking At?

 "But God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh putting seventy of them to death because they had looked into the ark of the Lord." (1 Samuel 6:19) 

The ark of the covenant was more than a treasured object of power that the Israelites' thought they could use to satisfy their own purposes.

They were more impressed by the ark itself, instead of the person inside. It contained the presence of God. God will not be controlled by humans. How does this apply to us as Christians today? 

We show more respect for the programs of worship, and Christian service, than we do the person and power of God. The opportunities to worship and serve the Lord, are not to feed our own egos, and satisfy our own purposes. We are to first and foremost, acknowledge the presence of God, in all that we do in His name. 

I can sit in a church building, just alone with God, and without the help of human intervention, feel His presence, and be inspired by Him. 

It must never be about us, but about the presence and power of God, in our lives. 

What if God was as strict with us, as He was with those Israelites' who looked inside the ark, and disrespected His presence. When we use our platforms and programs, in the name of the Lord, to promote ourselves, are we not standing on dangerous ground with the Lord? 

It's time to humble ourselves, and respect and submit to the presence and power of God. We must allow God to work in us, and through us, for His glory alone! GP 

 Photo by Igor Rodrigues on Unsplash.

Seek First!

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33) 

If there is one thing that I would list as a major challenge in people's lives, it is the setting of priorities. And what should be at the top of the list? As Christians, what Jesus mentions in our text, is to be the most important pursuit in our lives. "But seek first His Kingdom, and His righteousness." 

I like what Matthew Henry writes in his commentary: "We must mind heaven as our end, and holiness as our way." 

Whatever God wants us to be, and whatever He wants us to do, must come first. And in all things with our relationship with God, there must be faith. To be what He wants, and to do what He wants, requires faith in Him, to help us to accomplish His will for our lives.

Personally, too often, I try to step ahead of God, and His will for my life. If things are not going the way I think they should, I try to take things on, by myself. I don't Go God's way, I go my way. And then I find myself in trouble. I become very disappointed with myself, because I cannot obtain it on my own.

The promise in our text is: If we make God's business our business, He will take care of our business, and things will be better than one's selfish pursuit.

What ever is needed for our well-being, God will provide (Philippians 4:19) God wants us to always put our relationship with Him first, and service for the Kingdom first. And in the process of accomplishing this, our needs will be met. This is a promise that you can take to the bank! GP

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