Author: mary

Paul continued on to say in Philippians 1:21-22, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.” For him to live meant he lived in Christ and glorified him, but to die was gain. He would gain heaven if he passed from this life and into the next. Death would not be the end of his story.

Paul knew that throughout all of his trials and tribulations, if he continued to live, then it would be in Christ. He would live in Christ and for Christ. Everything he would do would be for that purpose.

As Christians, our purpose should be focused on Christ. When we go to work, it should be for Christ. When we go to church, it should be for Christ. When we go anywhere, it should be for Christ. We should show Christ in the way we live and we should share Christ with those we love and those we encounter. We should pass on His truths to our children so they live for Christ as well. Take some time in prayer today, asking Him to help you live for Him.

What is your desire when it comes to your relationship with God? Are your desires about you or about what He wants? Paul said in Philippians 1:20 that “as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” His desire was to honor God with His body whether that meant in his life or through death. If God chose to leave him on this earth, then he wanted to make sure that everything he did brought glory and honor to him. However, if God chose to take him home to heaven, then he would glorify him through his death.

Jesus glorified the Father while He walked the earth in everything He said and did. Then, when He died on the cross, He glorified Him even more through His death. We should live our lives in such a way that is glorifying whether we live or die. If we put Him first in the little things and the small decisions, then when it comes to the big decisions, it will be easier to give Him control. Too many times we try to take control of our lives. That action will only lead to destruction. We must surrender control everyday, trusting that God will be honored in our lives.

Paul trusted God. In Philippians 1:19 he said, “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.” He knew that the prayers of man were powerful and effective and could change lives. He trusted that God would hear the cries of the people and deliver him in one way or another.

This is what happens sometimes in life. Deliverance does not always mean that we will not experience pain just as healing does not always mean in this life. For example, when someone has a disease like cancer, God could choose to heal their body and take away the cancer, or he may choose to heal their body in heaven. That is His choice. Only He knows the outcome. Paul knew that God could choose to glorify Himself through the deliverance of Paul in this life or in the life to come. Either way would glorify Him. He was so confident in his relationship with the Lord. He knew that his life would glorify the Lord if he continued to seek him in prayer and obedience.

What about you? Does your life glorify the Lord? Do you spend time in prayer for your relationship with the Lord? If not, begin investing in your walk with God today.

Paul had the attitude in Philippians 1:18 that even when the gospel message is being preached out of the wrong motivation, the gospel is still getting out there. He said, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.” Paul’s entire life was wrapped up in the gospel. He knew that the most important thing was the word of God reaching the nations. It did not matter to him how it got out, just that it got out.

He knew that God was the one who changed lives and could take a little seed and make it grow. He knew that that is exactly what the gospel is: a seed. Once it is planted in the heart of someone, if it is watered and cared for, it will grow into a beautiful relationship with Him. So how it came to be did not matter, just that it came to be. He loved Christ and the gospel so much that the only thing that mattered to him was that the gospel advanced. The gospel should be the focus of our lives as Christians. We should have a sense of urgency to see those we love come to know Christ.

“Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:15-17‬ ‭tells us. In this world there are many false teachers. As Christians, we must be aware of those who do not preach truth. There are those who preach Christ out of envy and rivalry. They seek to serve themselves rather than the Lord. They want to see how many people they can get in the door rather than spreading the message about Christ. Then, there are those who preach and serve out of love. They want to see the gospel message reach as many people as they can.

As Christians, we must make sure that when we tell others about Christ or serve in our churches and communities, we are doing it out of our love and desire to see others come to know Him. It can be easy to lift ourselves up when things are going very well in a ministry. When we forget who we are doing ministry and mission work for, then everything will crumble. We have to make Christ the focus of all of the work we do.