Sermon Central
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How Does God Want Me To Live?
Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Jul 28, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: While he longed to be with Christ, he yearned to remain and help these believers grow in Christ.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Paul was in the Roman prison when he wrote Philippians.
He was in prison because he preached the gospel and spreading the name of Jesus Christ.
He wasn’t thinking of others opinions...he was being faithful to Christ.
It seems that the church in Philippi was closer to Paul than any other church and their love for him and his love for them are shown here in Philippians.
I believe that God uses Philippians to show His love for us just as Paul showed his love for them.
Philippians deals with the way all believers should be living.
It is not a level where all of us are, but it is where God wants us to be.
This letter, rather than a correcting or scolding the church, is simply an expression of friendship and of shared joy in a common faith.
Selfishness and jealously is always a breeding ground for unhappiness. Paul had joy because he loved others. He prayed for others, encouraged others, and sought to bring joy to others.
What was Paul’s main goal in verse 20?
While he longed to be with Christ, he yearned to remain and help these believers grow in Christ.
Growing in understanding of how God wants us to live and to become an example for Him is what growing in Christ really means.
To magnify Jesus while he was in the body is what Pauls main goal was....That should be our goal also.
I heard about a church member that told their pastor
“We have some neighbors who believe a false gospel,”
“Do you have some literature I can give them?” The pastor opened his Bible to 2 Corinthians 3:2, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:”
He said, “The best literature in the world is no substitute for your own life.
Let them see Christ in your behavior and this will open up opportunities to share Christ’s Gospel with them.”
What a great illustration ...Christian means to be Christ like.
The greatest weapon against the devil is a godly life.
And a local church that practices the truth, that demonstrates what it believes,” is going to defeat the enemy.
The victory has been won by Christ....we just need to keep it on display. Here is a little poem that has kind stuck with me.
You are writing a Gospel,
A chapter each day,
By the deeds that you do
And the words that you say.
Men read what you write,
Whether faithful or true:
Just what is the Gospel
According to you?
Several years ago I wrote Christian articles for a magazine for 4 years in Rising Sun MD call the Christian Messenger...Matt Compton a dear friend of mine who was the editor told me he said Ron: not everyone is going to agree with what you write so don’t get discouraged if they don’t. I told Matt..it’s not them I have to answer to it’s my Lord.....we have a responsibly for the truth...to hold on to truth...to be an example of that truth.
The world test us to see if we are real...The world wants to find out if we are what we say we are.... Christians...Christ..like.......
People read what we write everyday
Paul said in verse 20 that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
Paul said he did not want to be ashamed of his witness while in this life, and he did not want to be ashamed when he came into the presence of the Lord Jesus.
If we go through this life in every effort trying to please God in the obedience and the truth of God’s Word in our actions...where ever we are...in how we treat others without selfishness and jealously and how we love others....and how we cling to the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness and are not ashamed then...then we have no reason to be ashamed at His appearing.
John mentions the fact that when Christ comes to take His church with Him, it is possible for believers to be ashamed at His appearing We need to bear that in mind. All Christians ought to be concerned about that. ( 1 John 2:28).
