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

— Philippians 1:21 KJV

What is your philosophy of life? You say you don’t even have one? Oh, yes, you do. Everyone has one. Some have explicitly stated them or written them down. For most people, however, I am afraid they are more subconscious. These people may not even know they have one, but may I say that the less consciously it is declared, the more fully it controls a person’s life—even unbeknownst to them. You have a philosophy of life. What is it?

The world and the kingdom of Christ define success differently. To me, the only success that really matters is that which is of eternal value. Consider the example of Paul. He was not only a great apostle, a missionary, apologist, evangelist, statesman, and preacher, but he was also an unparalleled expert in the art of living. He had discovered the secret of a life worth living. He states it in a very succinct, terse, sententious form: “For to me to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21 kjv). There it is. Seven, simple, single-syllable words: “For to me to live is Christ.” There is a divine philosophy of life given to us by our Maker. I do not believe anyone could improve upon it, even if volumes were written.

Here is the great discovery of the secret to a successful life. Paul had discovered the art of living: “For to me to live is Christ.” And what does that mean when life is over? He finishes the verse: “…and to die is gain.”

Lord Jesus, who is my life, thank You for this beautiful philosophy of life. Thank You for being my life, my light, and my salvation. Thank You that all I need I have in You…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH,
CHRIST CAN BE OUR LIFE.

“Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who turn the many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.”

— Daniel 12:3

In this verse, Daniel gives a goal to set your heart on. Lift up your eyes. You are not one of the animals of the field to be satisfied with the husks on the ground, but lift up your eyes unto the stars.

Decades ago, I went into a suite of offices for some purpose. I don’t remember where it was or why I was there, but I remember one thing: When I got ready to leave and had finished my business, I was in something of a hurry, and I opened a door to the hall and stepped into a 3 x 4 foot broom closet. I instantly stepped out again, shamefacedly closed the door, and looked for the proper exit. I probably was in that broom closet for between one and two seconds.

Wouldn’t it be sad if I spent the rest of my life talking about that broom closet where I spent, at most, two seconds of my life? May I say to you, this world to which you give all of your energies and time and thought and effort will be less than two seconds of your eternal life. It has well been said that many people spend more time planning a two-week vacation than they plan where they are going to spend eternity. God has made you for forever. Some people cannot see beyond next year.

God of all creation, give me strength to lift my eyes to the stars, and as I count them, as Abraham did, let my faith and hope grow. Let me be a part of bringing people to righteousness and of imparting Your wisdom to others…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE LIFT
OUR EYES TO THE STARS.

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works in us…”

— Ephesians 3:20

God is the God of “much more.” Consider the following verses from His Word. For example, here is 2 Chronicles 25:9 (nkjv): “And the man of God answered, ‘The Lord is able to give you much more than this.’” “Much more than this” is a favorite phrase of God’s Word:

• “…will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:30).
• “…how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things…” (Matthew 7:11).
• “For if…we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10).
• “For if through the trespass of one man many died, then how much more has the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many” (Romans 5:15).
• “But the law entered, so that sin might increase, but where sin increased, grace abounded much more” (Roman 5:20).

And on and on and on the texts go.

Lord God, we pray that You who are the fulfiller of dreams, that You will bring greater achievements for the church of Jesus Christ around the world, according to Your good and perfect will. Give me strength for today to be useful in Your kingdom…

BY HIS STRENGTH, WE WILL
EXPERIENCE “MUCH MORE.”

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”

— Psalm 20:7

One of the best known stories of the Bible is that of David and Goliath. For days on end, the armies of the Israelites faced the armies of the Philistines. And daily Goliath taunted the Israelite army, which cringed before this giant of a man who was nine and a half feet tall. All of their courage and their PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) had fizzled out. Their self-confidence had reached its limit, and it ended up in despair.

Then along came this stripling named David, who went out to take on Goliath saying, “I come at you in the name of the Lord of Hosts.” There is such a thing as Godconfidence, or Christ-confidence, which is infinitely better than self-confidence, though that is better than no confidence at all. With “Christ-confidence,” we can do all things. Jesus said, “…if you have faith and do not doubt… if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done” (Matthew 21:21).

David had practice as a shepherd, slaying a lion and a bear that threatened the sheep. But his real trust was in the Lord, and that is why he prevailed. And so can we—if we trust in the Lord.

Lord Jesus, thank You that I can always trust in You. Make me into such a person as You can entrust with Your work. Help me to never put confidence in the flesh, but in You and Your power and strength…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN
FACE THE GIANTS IN OUR LIVES.

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on earth.”

— Colossians 3:2

The Bible tells us that we are to believe that we have the promises of God. If God has promised it, it is as good as done and we are by faith to believe that it has come to pass; so in a very real sense, that is biblical. However, the Scripture also tells us that we are not to set our affections on things here below, but are to set our affections on things above.

I remember a young man, like so many today, whose whole life centered on a really great-looking sports car. That piece of machinery had become his idol. He did all but bow to the ground before the car or light votive candles and sprinkle a little incense on the candles in front of it. God has made us for greater things than some pile of metal. In a few years that young man’s fancy automobile will be fit for nothing but a junk pile.

God has made you an immortal soul; He has fitted you for the stars. Too many are groveling in the mud flats of materialism. Set your affections on things above— attempt great things for God. You know what? He might just give you that pile of bolts and metal. As C. S. Lewis once put it, “Aim for heaven and you get earth thrown in. Aim for earth, and you get neither.” God may be pleased to give you all sorts of things, but your heart should be set on things above.

Dear Heavenly Father, set my heart on things above today. Let my treasure be on things above. Let me truly value the things of Your kingdom. I thank You for my earthly things and ask that, although I possess them, that they not possess me…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, OUR HEARTS
ARE SEALED FOR HEAVEN.

“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also…”

— Acts 17:6

Several decades ago, I read a statement in a book entitled The Strong Name. It was written by a professor at the University of Glasgow. His name was James Stewart. No, he never went to Hollywood—he had greater things on his mind. This is what he said:

If we could but show the world that being committed to Christ
is no tame, humdrum sheltered monotony, but the most exciting
adventure the human spirit could ever know, then those who
have been standing outside looking askance at Christ would come
crowding in to pay allegiance, and we may well see the greatest
spiritual revival since Pentecost.

I wonder what your friends think of your Christianity, of your religion? Is it some tame, humdrum sheltered monotony? Sadly, for some of us our friends could say, “That describes it pretty well.” Or is it the most exciting adventure the human spirit can ever know? Well, I’ll tell you, it’s going to inevitably be the first and not the latter unless you believe Paul’s text: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).

Peter once said to Jesus: “See, we have left everything and followed You. What then shall we have?” Jesus replied, “…everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for My name’s sake shall receive a hundred times as much and inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:27, 29). Following Jesus is an adventure in this life, and as it has been said, “the rewards are out of this world.”

Dear God, thank You for creating us for adventure and great stories. Help us to trust You to see us safely through the endeavors set before us. Thank You for the opportunities You give us. Help us to undertake them with all our might…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, OUR
LIVES CAN BE EXCITING.

“He said to them, ‘Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.’“

— Mark 16:15

One of my great heroes of the past is William Carey (1761-1834) of England. I trust that every Christian knows who he was. Carey was a poor uneducated man who did nothing but fix shoes, and yet he had a dream. On the wall in front of him in his shop he had placed a map—a map of the world. He sat there fixing soles, but dreamt of fixing souls in lands where the Gospel was not known.

Carey was laughed at. He was told to shut up and sit down, but he wouldn’t do it because there was a dream. And so he set out on a long trip to India. He launched something 200 years ago called “The World Missionary Movement.” To take the words of Winston Churchill and apply them much more accurately, we can most certainly say that “never did so many owe so much to so few.” With so little support and help, missionaries have done the greatest work in the history of the world. Today, 200 years later, the work William Carey dreamt of has been started and planted in virtually every nation on earth because he had a dream and with God’s help, he fulfilled it.

Carey learned a number of languages. He wrote a dictionary in English and the Indian language of Bengali. He translated the Bible into numerous different languages. He became a scholar. He let God use him fully for the Gospel. May God help all of us to fulfill the task He has for us, one that helps spread His eternal kingdom.

God, Giver of dreams, give me dreams and visions for You. Let me fulfill the dreams You have planted in my heart. Thank You for the ones that have already been fulfilled…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN
FULFILL THE DREAMS HE GIVES US.

“But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”

— Matthew 19:26

One of the great saints of the last century, A. W. Tozer, said that if someone were able to extract from your mind the thoughts you have when you think of God, they could very accurately predict your spiritual future, because people rise no higher than their concept of God.

Certainly the disciples of the first century had an exalted view of God. Their God could do anything. To paraphrase them: “O Lord God, Creator of heaven and earth, nothing is too hard for You.” And so, therefore, they set out on a glorious task. Here they were, eleven men (i.e., the twelve minus Judas). God told them to do a little simple thing: Go change the whole world—and they set out to do it. They have, in great measure, already succeeded. These men who were so absorbed in the characteristics and attributes of God were able to do fantastic things.

The late Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, told us to remember that as believers in Christ we are called to live supernatural lives. We are no longer ordinary people, but our lives are now joined with the One who spoke and the worlds were framed. We belong to the One whom God has given all authority over heaven and earth, and He has come to dwell in our lives with all of His resurrection power.

Bright said that living a supernatural life begins with thinking supernatural thoughts. Pray for supernatural results and watch God do great things.

All Powerful Omnipotent God, I praise You for Your might. Give me a clear picture of You and let not my finite mind distort Your image…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN
WORSHIP HIM AS HE IS.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…”

— Romans 1:16

Have you ever noticed how any time we try to pursue something worthwhile, we always seem to be beset by a number of obstacles? Look at Paul’s goal to spread the Gospel in the first century; a goal made possible by Rome’s incredible roadway system, by the unifying language of everyday Greek, by the Pax Romana, and by the many synagogues in far-flung places that often became Stop 1 in his entrance to a new town.

His efforts to spread the Gospel over most of the Roman world have continued until the Gospel has been spread into every nation on the face of the earth. If you asked Paul how he was doing, I don’t think he would have told you the terrible travails he had undergone in persecution and in difficult travels. Today, we think nothing of getting on a superhighway or a jetliner and usually arriving at our destination in comfort or ease—not so in antiquity in most cases. But Paul wouldn’t generally have told you the suffering he underwent in his travels. Instead, Paul chose to look at things through the eye of faith, thus, in effect, he was going from glory to glory.

Anyone who thinks that it was easy for Paul ought to read 2 Corinthians 11, which shows that he faced one problem after another. Anything worthwhile may be fraught with difficulties. But those difficulties may not be a sign that you’re on the wrong track but rather on the right track after all.

Father God, You know how easy it is for us to give up when we face obstacles. Help me to see them as a sign that I’m doing something worthwhile and not an indication that I should quit…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN OVERCOME
THE OBSTACLES IN OUR PATH.

“Why, my soul, are you cast down? Why do you groan within me? Wait for God; I will yet thank Him, For He is my deliverance and my God.”

— Psalm 42:5

When we read this verse, we might think, “The poor psalmist. He has come to the place where he is talking to himself.” But the Word of God would have us understand that he is doing exactly what he ought to do.

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, one of the greatest preachers in England in the second part of the twentieth century, says this in his excellent work, Spiritual Depression, It’s Cause and Cure: “Most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself rather than talking to yourself.”

Remarkable? Most of your unhappiness in life comes from listening to yourself. Think about it. You wake up in the morning and right away there are streams of thought coming into your mind. You haven’t invited them, you didn’t ask for them, you are not consciously doing anything to produce them; they just come. They start talking to you. It is the old nature, discounting what God can do in your life.

The psalmist, says Lloyd-Jones, “stands up and says, ‘Self, listen for a moment. I will speak to you.’” God’s Word tells us, “Do not fear, for I am with you” (Genesis 26:24 and throughout Scripture), and “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). “Be of good cheer” is repeated in Matthew, Mark, John, and Acts. God also reassures us, “…all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Let us allow God to renew our minds by dwelling on His promises.

Dear Lord, give me strength for today to listen to the new person in Christ within me, instead of my old, carnal nature. Let me rejoice as I consider Your promises in Christ Jesus, which are guaranteed by Your flawless character…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE
ARE PEOPLE OF GOOD CHEER.