Tuesday, April 21, 2009

No Longer I Live...

by D. Riggins


Galatians 2:20

I often examine life, my life in particular. And I've come to three conclusions:

1. Life is meaningless without Jesus Christ;
2. God's Word should be my most valuable possession, and;
3. It's important for me to die (bring flesh under the obedience of God) in order for Jesus Christ to live.

I'm not into catch phrases or deep religious schools of thought that have no meaning, so I didn't find these conclusions on the internet :-) But, I'm really beginning to understand the true meaning of life and my purpose down here on earth. See, it all makes sense now. Jesus said that His words are spirit and life (John 6:63)! This means that everything else the world uses to validate life, doesn't (and will never) work...period. God has sent the answer: His word, to bring life to any man or woman who chooses it today! That goes for the drunkard on Skid Row or the Millionaire in Malibu. Jesus died that so that we might live...through Him!

When I made Jesus Christ my Lord, I gave Him permission to lead my life. I figure, the best candidate to govern my life is the one who created me. So then...the choices that I make are made according to the plan that God has for my life; choices that ALWAYS line up with His Word. I don't have to guess about relationships, jobs, finances, etc. Why? My Father knows my future. I seek Him first, and He simply adds everything else (Matt 6:33).

Last, why is it so important to die (bring flesh under the obedience of God)? So, that Jesus Christ can be glorified!

The "I" phenomenon is quite popular :-) "I" seeks to go gain God's glory; "I", is self-centered; "I", is selfish; "I", is arrogant; "I" always wants the credit! When I live according to "I," it prevents others from seeing the Christ in me...

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me" (Galatians 2:20).


Pursuing Truth,

D.

“Everything that I am, is because of Jesus Christ. All that I ever do, I do it only to bring Him glory.”

In Pursuit of....

by D. Riggins


The pursuit of happiness, that’s the right I’ve been given, the right to live life and be merry. But, what is life? Is it the product of existence? I am, therefore I live? If this is true, then how do inanimate objects live? Or, is life the equivalent of success? How, then, is success measured? Money, accomplishment, fame? If this is true, how do the homeless live?

LIFE IS: While the world was in pursuit of happiness, I was in pursuit of life and nine years ago…I found life, in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). In order to experience life, I had to receive it through Jesus Christ. He also said in John 10:10, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Jesus Christ is life!

For 17 years, I attempted to experience something that I didn’t quite understand. I was “the imitation of life” personified, imprisoned by my own inadequacies and expectations, and tangled in the world of make-believe where everyone pretends to be something they really aren’t. Yet, when I repented and asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart and be the Lord of my life, I realized that I was no longer pursuing a false sense of life, I was living the real thing!

NOW WHAT? Understanding life opened up a world of truth. As I began my new life in Christ, I needed something to live for. In other words, why was I created? Jesus told Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee…”(Jeremiah 1:5). He explained to Jeremiah that he was designed to be a prophet unto the nations even before he was formed in his mother’s womb. Jesus reveals through procreation that He is the only person who can receive credit for life; therefore, we were created to bring glory to God only…not ourselves or any false gods. He’s designed each of us to fulfill specific assignments, yet when the rubber meets the road, God deserves the glory!

GREATER WORKS: Jesus told us in John 14:12 “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do because I go unto the Father.” What greater works is Jesus referring to? The works of winning souls to Christ! Jesus never won a soul because He hadn’t yet died, so the "greater works" is our ability to win souls. God expresses His love to us by giving us the power and dominion to do all things through Jesus Christ. I will do greater works!

Where I’m from, mammon wants to be king...and selfishness, lord. “I” is first and “you”, well…”you” is forgotten. The pursuit of happiness, that’s the right I’ve been given,

SELFISHNESS: I’ve been blessed to: (1) graduate from a wonderful university, (2) have a job that I enjoy traveling to and working at everyday, (3) have wonderful parents who love and support me, and (4) have musical gifts. Yet, these things are worthless in the Kingdom of God if I don't use them to impact someone's life. It’s easy to get so over-involved with life that the lives of others is forgotten. The Word of God tells me that I’ve been bought with a price (I Corinthians 6:19-20)...this is why I freely give my body to the Lord as an instrument for winning souls.

SUCCESS: God has established principles that guarantee. If I want to be successful, I obey Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and nigh, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." If I need/want things then I heed to Matthew 6:33: “But, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” If I focus on the things of God, I will never have to pursue the things of this world…they will be added to me.

PERSPECTIVE: Everything that I am is in Christ. With the hustle and cares of this world, it’s easy to conform to the world’s common standards (the love of money, worry, and selfishness, lust, etc.) and forget about the true life that's in Jesus Christ.

The peace and joy that I have is in Jesus Christ and setting aside my agenda to chase after the things (heart) of God. My #1 goal in this life is to win a soul to Christ, therefore, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

What are you in pursuit of?


Pursuing Truth,

D.

“Everything that I am, is because of Jesus Christ. All that I ever do, I do it only to bring Him glory.”