The Truth About Dying

The other day I had this thought that just will not leave me, so I figured I should blog about it so that it will stop whirling around in my head! I can't really remember where this thought originated from except for this whole theme of dying to myself etc. Anyway, I digress ;-)

I am ashamed to say that I have never been the best at being very evangelistic. I'm working on that. I am not an intentional evangelist anyway. I've reached a lot of people just by being relational, but not just by out right telling people how it is, unless it's just absolutely necessary in that moment, you know what I'm saying.

As I have been learning to die gracefully to myself I had the thought that I realize why there are so many lost and unchurched people in this world. A lot of people are just afraid to lose their lives. They are fearful of dying physically already and then they start learning about Jesus, who requires them to lay down their lives while walking the earth to serve Him and it just doesn't seem like the most appealing way to live, right? No wonder people run from God. The truth is that Jesus does require that we die to ourselves in order to serve His greater purpose. But what most people don't get far enough to know is the benefits of laying down their lives for such an amazing God.

There are countless scriptures that show us how rewarding taking up our cross daily can be but the one that is really ministering to me this morning is one that was passed along to me by sister-in-law (thanks sis, perfect timing ;-)

Philippians 3:10-11 (Amplified version), " [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope], that if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]."

When we die to ourselves, we are intentionally saying, " I want to know you God more than life itself." When we do that, yes, we may share in His suffering but we also get to share in His resurrection, EVEN WHILE IN THE BODY!  Sign me up! There are so many benefits to laying down our lives for God and the one that my focus is on is obviously my body being resurrected while still on this earth. Now I am not dying to myself just so I can take advantage of His goodness, I am learning to die to myself because that's what He wants me to do. He keeps revealing His promises to me as I do this.

I told a friend the other day, while we were talking about this subject of God wanting us to die to ourselves, that I have every reason walking through what I have been walking through to totally deny God and to not trust Him at all. But all I can do, as I choose to die to myself, is love Him more and trust Him more than I ever have because of all the promises and rewards that come from just letting Him be God. He is showing Himself to me everyday and I have more life and joy than ever before in my relationship with Him. My cup runneth over!!!

I'll leave you with this today to meditate on...Psalm 18:28-30, " You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him."

We have to surrender to Him and die to ourselves and He will be there for us and we can live the most rewarding life. Every promise is ours and unlike the promises the world throws around, His are true and never return void. I am living proof of this, just like so many of you. I'd say that's worth dying for.