Philippians 1:21 - The Secret of Living.
Philippians 1:21 (NLT) For to me, living
means living for Christ, and dying is even better.
Philippians 1:21 (Phillips) For living to me
means simply Christ, and if I die I should
merely gain more of him.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Our Jesus, Our Joy
Pauls only aim was to know Jesus.
Riches did not attract him. Applause did not matter
to him. The grave did not intimidate him. All
he wanted was more of Christ. As a result, he
was content. In Jesus, Paul found all the
satisfaction his heart desired.
You and I can learn the same.
Christ-based contentment turns us into strong people.
Since no one can take our Christ, no one can take
our joy.
Can death take our joy? No, Jesus is
greater than death.
Can failure take our joy? No, Jesus is
greater than our sin.
Can betrayal take our joy? No, Jesus will
never leave us.
Can sickness take our joy? No, God has
promised, whether on this side of the grave or the
other, to heal us.
Can disappointment take our joy? No,
because even though our plans may not work out, we
know God's plan will.
Death, failure, betrayal, sickness,
disappointment - they cannot take our joy, because they
cannot take our Jesus. [You Can Count On God by Max
Lucado]
COMMENTARY
"For to me to live is Christ," he declared.
This is the most perfect interpretation in a few
words, in all the Scriptures, of what it means to
be a Christian. This is the whole truth of the
gospel. Paul understood what many seem unable to
comprehend. How intensely in earnest he was! His words
show that his mind was centered in Christ, that
his whole life was bound up with his Lord.
Christ was the author, the support, and the source
of his life. 7BC903
Jesus Christ is everything to us, - the
first, the last, the best in everything. Jesus
Christ, His Spirit, His character, colors
everything; it is the warp and woof, the very texture of
our entire being. The words of Christ are spirit
and life. We cannot, then, center our thoughts
upon self; it is no more we that live, but Christ
that liveth in us, and He is the hope of glory.
Self is dead, but Christ is a living Saviour.
Continuing to look unto Jesus, we reflect His image to
all around us. We cannot stop to consider our
disappointments, or even to talk of them; for a more pleasant
picture attracts our sight, - the precious love of
Jesus. TM389-390
Christ is mine and I am His. It is
positively necessary for us to sit down and think how
Christ our Saviour descended from heaven, from the
throne of God, clothing His divinity with humanity,
to show all mankind what human beings may
become if they will unite their weakness to His
strength, if they will die to self and live to Christ.
Thus the strong, unchristlike traits of character
that they have cherished will be softened,
subdued, purified. They will unite one with another,
that they may be one with Christ in God.
5MR368,9
ILLUSTRATION
I recently visited an old friend, a
former professor of mine who just turned ninety. A
classmate alerted me that he was very sick. She knew I
would want to say good-bye.
My teacher hugged me when I stepped
through the door. I could feel his bones. His hands
shook while we sat across from each other in his
living room visiting. One of the things we talked
about is how strange it is to interface with death
for a long period of time and what it does to
your psyche. "I never planned for this," he said
of hospital visits, loss of appetite, and loss
of strength. "It's like my body betrays me."
On the drive home, I thought about how
hard that must be " dying - and how I haven't
planned for it either. I'm focused on living life to
the fullest, on all the things I want to
accomplish and do and be. The visit with my teacher
made me think about howl want to die well
whenever that time comes.
We make our plans, but Paul said that, in
a sense, it's all the same. If we live, we
live for Jesus, and if we die, we die for Him -
it all belongs to Him. That's a comfort if I
let it be. All that my life is, all I accomplish
or don't, belongs to Him. It is Jesus Who
infuses it with meaning. Not the doing or the being.
And death also finds meaning in Him. Whatever
happens, He is with me. I belong to Him. by Gwen Ford
Faulkenberry
Faith Step: What does it mean to you to
belong to Jesus? Do a word study on belong. Write
down any new insights that come to you. [Mornings
With Jesus 2019 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan re Romans 14:8]
CLOSING PEARLS
Are you willing to cast down the idols you
have cherished? Are you willing to let Jesus
enter the heart to cleanse it from all that
defiles? Are you at all times and under all
circumstances, obtaining the mastery over yourself? Can you
say, "For me to live is Christ," I am His?
Whatever I have, of time, or strength, or influence,
all is His? Are you representing Him by your
forbearance, your patience, your unselfishness? Are you
learning to be like Him? ST 04-09-02
"Only one life, 'twill soon be past.
Only what's done for Christ will last.'
"To me to live is Christ"
[Billy Graham]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Philippians 1:21 - The Secret of Living.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20211202-0917.html
Philippians 1:21 - The Secret of Living.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190804-1139.html
Philippians 1:21 - Really Living Is A
Relationship With Christ.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2008/20080829-1525.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
