Soap - Live and Die for Christ

I had heard Pastor Jason's sermon based upon Luke 9 about 3 or 4 times. Each time I have been convicted by a great line in it-If you were arrested because you were a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Tonight was no different. Is my faith based on shallow foundations? Or am I so stubbornly rooted in Christ that there would be no question that I am a Christ-following man, willing to lay down my life for Him?

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?

Luke 9:23-25

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose"

-Jim Elliot

S: for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Romans 14:8

O: We have already denied ourselves-our lives belong to the Lord. Each and every single day belongs to God and how He will be glorified. This verse is straightforward-every single day that God gives us to live, we live for Him-and the day we die, we die for Him. From carrying our cross daily, to seeing God's righteousness through His Gospel from faith to faith (faith that which perseveres), everything connects perfectly, leading straight back to the Cross: My life was bought by Christ's blood-He claimed me by His mercy and the only reason why I carry my cross daily, live and die for Christ, and see and recognize God's righteousness through the Gospel, through faith that perseveres is because Christ dictates it. My will can only be the will of the Father, because He has justified me-my faith is only shaped by the fact that Christ lived, died, and rose for me (well, to demonstrate God's mercy, thus glorifying Him-but out of love for me as well, praise God).

A: And so, I will live and die for Christ. I will cast off all worldly things, and halt my clinging of my life-for it's not mine. I will cling to Christ, the only foundation. I want to be Christ-like, Christ-centered, and everything else can fall away.

P: God, I have made a schedule and mapped out each day. I'm cutting out more and more things that don't have any place in my life-I pray that I would not only adhere to this schedule because it's "good for me" or because it will lead to greater spirituality-but rather because it will push me towards a greater intimacy with You. Teach me to shed that which is useless and strive towards what is good in Your sight. God, Your Word is sweet like honey, and your Spirit strengthens, stills, surrounds, rebukes, refreshes, revitalizes, empowers, embraces, encourages, loves, heals, saves, teaches, does...everything I can possibly ask for. It's not enough to pray and read Your Word everyday-I want more of You and so I will strive to pray and read more deeply, with more focus-Would You please enable me, Spirit? Consume me with passion for Him, that I may live and die for Christ. But, Lord-as I always end, the glory is Yours alone. Take everything from me but You. In Christ, amen.

Soli Deo Gloria