September 19 Devotion - To live is Christ

What did the Apostle Paul mean when he said?

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

لأَنَّ لِيَ الْحَيَاةَ هِيَ الْمَسِيحُ وَالْمَوْتُ هُوَ رِبْحٌ

Philippians 1:21

While the second phrase ‘to die is gain’ helps us focus on the joy of being with Jesus in paradise, the first part of the phrase ‘to live is Christ’; I believe; is essential and should be at the core of every Christian’s life. Every day we should be growing in the knowledge of Christ and advancing to become Christ-like. We need to proclaim the gospel of Christ, the great commission (Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations) should be central to our lives.

To live is Christ means that every believer should give up anything that prevents him/her from having Christ in them.

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, please teach me and help me so that that everything I try to be, everything I am, and everything I look forward to being, points to Christ. Jesus I want that my thoughts and actions bring glory to You. Father God, I thank You for loving me with a deep and everlasting love, thank You for Your abundant blessings and for the riches of Your grace upon my life. Now to Him who is able to keep me from stumbling and to present me before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now, and forevermore. Ephesians 3:20-21Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein