SEPTEMBER THEME — “SEEING THE CROSS FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE”
BEATS FROM YOUR PASTOR’S HEART
TO LIVE IS CHRIST
Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Paul could summarize his entire existence in one word: Christ. Not success. Not comfort. Not reputation. Not possessions. Christ. There comes a point in the exchanged life when Jesus moves from being part of my life to becoming the purpose of my life. My marriage belongs to Christ. My ministry belongs to Christ. My possessions belong to Christ. My future belongs to Christ. Even my suffering can belong to Christ. When I came so close to death with COVID and Psalm 91 became so precious to me, eternity stopped being merely something I preached about. God reminded me again that every additional day is His. After nearly fifty years of ministry and nearly fifty-eight years of marriage to Mae, I have learned that life is not measured merely by how long we live, but by Who is living through us. If Christ is my life, then nothing surrendered to Him is wasted—not even suffering.
Christ Must Become More Than Part of My Life
Many Christians sincerely love Jesus, but still think of Him as one important part of an already crowded life. There is family, work, ministry, responsibilities, plans, hobbies, possessions, and then there is Jesus. But Paul did not say, “For to me to live is Christ plus everything else.” He said, “For to me to live is Christ.” Christ was not one compartment of Paul’s life; Christ was the center of it. The exchanged life begins to deepen when I stop asking Jesus to fit into my plans and begin surrendering my plans to Him. My marriage is no longer merely mine; it is His. My ministry is not mine; it is His. My time is His. My body is His. My resources are His. My future is His. Every area of life comes under His lordship. When Christ becomes the center, everything else begins to find its proper place. I love my family better because I belong to Christ. I serve more faithfully because I belong to Christ. I can hold possessions more loosely because they belong to Christ. I can face uncertainty with greater peace because my future belongs to Christ. The question is no longer, “How can Jesus help me live my life?” The better question is, “How can Jesus live His life through me?”
If Christ Is My Life, Suffering Is Not Wasted
Paul wrote Philippians from confinement. He was not writing from comfort, ease, or perfect circumstances. Yet he could still say, “For to me to live is Christ.” That means Christ can be glorified not only through our victories but also through our valleys. We naturally want God to remove pain, solve the problem, heal the body, change the circumstances, and open the door. There is nothing wrong with asking Him to do those things. But mature faith also says, “Lord, if You choose to walk me through this instead of immediately taking me out of it, then let Christ be seen in me while I walk through it.” That became very real to me during COVID. When death felt close, I was reminded that my life was never truly mine to begin with. Every breath was a gift. Every additional day became an opportunity to glorify Christ. Suffering may strip away things we once thought were important, but it can also reveal what matters most. If Christ is my life, then suffering does not have the final word. Pain can become a platform for grace. Weakness can become a place where His strength is displayed. Tears can become a testimony. Even what I would never choose can be surrendered to the One who wastes nothing.
If Christ Is My Life, Death Loses Its Terror
Paul makes an extraordinary statement: “To die is gain.” He was not saying that life was meaningless. Quite the opposite. Life was precious because Christ was in it. But death was no longer ultimate loss because death meant being with Christ. That changes the way a Christian lives. If death is not the end, then fear does not have to control me. I can obey God even when obedience costs me. I can hold this world loosely because I know this world is not all there is. I can live courageously because eternity is secure in Christ. The exchanged life does not make us careless about life; it makes us purposeful about life. I want to use every day God gives me. I want my marriage to honor Christ. I want my ministry to exalt Christ. I want my words to point people to Christ. I want my suffering to reveal Christ. And when my final day comes, I want the testimony of my life to be simple: Christ was enough. To live is Christ means that while I am here, He is my purpose. To die is gain means that when I leave here, I am with Him.
Imagine handing someone a signed blank check and saying, “Fill in whatever amount you choose.” That is a serious act of trust because you are surrendering control. Many times we want to give God a check with the amount already written in. We tell Him, “Lord, You can have my Sundays, but not my schedule. You can have my ministry, but not my plans. You can have my worship, but not my comfort. You can have part of my life, but I still want control over the rest.” But “to live is Christ” is like signing the blank check of your life and placing it into the hands of Jesus. “Lord, my marriage is Yours. My family is Yours. My health is Yours. My ministry is Yours. My money is Yours. My future is Yours. My suffering is Yours. My remaining years are Yours.” The exchanged life says, “Jesus, You do not merely have something in my life. You have me.”
“To live is Christ” is not merely a beautiful verse to quote. It is an invitation to surrender everything. It asks a very personal question: What am I really living for? For some, the honest answer may be success. For others, security, family, comfort, recognition, retirement, ministry, possessions, or simply surviving another day. Some of those things may be good, but none of them can carry the weight of becoming our life. Only Christ can. When Christ becomes my life, success cannot define me, failure cannot destroy me, suffering cannot waste me, and death cannot ultimately defeat me. Everything belongs to Him. Every morning becomes an opportunity to say, “Jesus, this day is Yours.” Every trial becomes an opportunity to say, “Jesus, reveal Yourself through me.” Every blessing becomes an opportunity to say, “Jesus, receive the glory.” And every breath becomes another opportunity to live for the One who gave Himself for me. To live is Christ.
Warfare Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, I surrender every rival that competes for the center of my heart. I renounce the pull of pride, possessions, comfort, recognition, fear, self-preservation, and anything else that tries to become more important to me than Christ. Lord Jesus, I declare that my life belongs to You. My marriage belongs to You. My family belongs to You. My ministry belongs to You. My body belongs to You. My health belongs to You. My possessions belong to You. My future belongs to You. Even the things I do not understand belong to You. I come against every lie of the enemy that tells me I must control everything in order to be safe. My security is not in my circumstances. My security is in Christ. Where there is fear of suffering, give me faith. Where there is fear of loss, give me surrender. Where there is fear of death, remind me that because of Jesus, death has lost its sting. Let Christ increase and let self decrease. Let my words reveal Christ, my choices honor Christ, my responses reflect Christ, and my entire life point people to Christ. If You give me many more years, let them belong completely to You. If You walk me through valleys, let Christ be seen in me there. If You bless me, let Christ receive the glory. If You strip away what I thought I needed, remind me that Jesus is still enough. I declare with Paul, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Daily Challenge
Finish this sentence honestly today: “For me to live is ______.” Do not answer with what you think the answer should be. Answer with what your schedule, thoughts, priorities, fears, spending, and desires reveal. Then place that answer before God and pray, “Lord Jesus, make the answer increasingly Christ. I surrender every area of my life to You. Live Your life through me today.” At least three times today, stop and remind yourself: My life is not my own. This moment belongs to Christ.
FRIDAY’S PRAYER NEEDS
Britany Smith
Darlene Kelley – Surgery went well
Darlene Thaxton
Ginny Ford
Kim’s McClain’s Mother
Lee Cronan
Nancy Brown – Rehab
Rob Davis
Susan Bankston