What IS Your Life?

What IS Your Life?

by David Brenneman 

"But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24.

Would you say something like this of yourself?  Could you?

Jesus said "And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." Luke 9:23-26.

Do you have something, some ministry, that is yours to accomplish in your life for Jesus?  Deep down, I think that you know that answer.  

Think about another passage since we're going down this path. "Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:17.

When Joseph spent 2 whole years completing his training in a prison after accurately interpreting the Cup Bearer and the Chief Baker, it was only then that he was moved on up to fulfill his own dream interpreting concerning himself and his family. 

Joseph's life was nothing that he imagined it to be, yet, in it and  through it God was glorified. God received the credit and the resultant praise.  What if Joseph had figured out how to escape the plans his brother's laid for him?  We might be reading of someone else in the book of Genesis. 

Your story has much in it my Dear Reader.  For many it may not have a pleasant beginning. It may not be full of happiness and joy even today.  To be honest, yes, I certainly would like to not have gone through the things in life that I have that were painful then and some are still painful today.  However, my life today in Christ would not be where it is without those valley's and the problems they were at the time.

Coming to Christ with your whole heart is essential, critical even, to start doing what you have for you to be doing in Christ. 

For sure, ALL throughout his life, the Lord Jesus Christ had Joseph's undivided attention.  We read of the Lord being with him.  He didn't understand why but he obeyed anyway.  

You may not understand the why's of your life, obey anyway.

Do not lift up things in your life higher than your relationship with Jesus. Nor should anyone or anything receive the honor, love, and respect that belongs to God in your life!

Honestly so many people are doing that and don't even understand that's the real reason their lives are in trouble!  

Their looks are more important than obeying God. 

Their possessions are more important than obeying God. 

Their jobs, their family, their hobbies, their sports teams, political affiliations, are more important than the true plans for God in their lives!

If your love, admiration, passion, joy, peace are tied more to the things of this world than they are to Jesus then, my Dear Reader, you have a problem.  

Are ANY of those things more important than hearing "Well done!" from the One you call your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

Are there dreams that I have had for my life?  Sure.  Are there things that I wish I could have done, have accomplished?  Yes. 

None of these are more important to me than knowing that I have not lived a life that disappointed my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

I urge you as Paul did "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,  so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.  Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;  if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.   Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;  rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,  contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.  Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." Romans 12:1-18.

My Dear Reader, you cannot fathom the life that God desires for you.

It's not possible to know the true impact of a life sold out to Jesus. 

It's so much more than we could ever ask for or think about. 

It, like Joseph's life, may not at all look like the life you desired but in God's scheme of things...He will receive the honor and the glory that belongs only to Him. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.