1 Corinthians 15:31 - Dying Daily!
1 Corinthians 15:31 - Dying Daily!
1 Corinthians 15:31 (KJV) I protest by your rejoicing which I
have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1 Corinthians 15:31 (EAV) [I assure you] by the pride which I
have in you in [your Fellowship and union with] Christ Jesus our
Lord, that I die daily [I face death every day and die to self].
I die daily: A form of speech for, I am continually exposed to
death. (Adam Clarke Commentary)
Paul was exposed to so many physical dangers and to such violent
attacks on himself and on his teachings that "daily" is hardly an
exaggeration. [Ryrie SB]
The phrase "I die daily" may also bear a homiletic
interpretation. It contains the secret of Paul's victorious experience.
Throughout his life of faithful service for the Saviour he had met on the
Damascus road, Paul found that his old, unregenerate nature struggled for
recognition and had to be constantly repressed (see on Rom. 8:6-8, 13; Eph.
4:22). He well knew that the life of the Christian must be one of
self-denial at every step of the road (see on Gal. 2:20; cf. on Matt.
16:24-26). Christians who find that the old desires still clamor for
satisfaction, in spite of their good intentions to serve the Lord, may take
courage from the fact that Paul had a similar experience. The Christian
life is a continual struggle, well described as a battle and a march,
with no resting place until Jesus comes (see MH 453). But the thought
of the resurrection, and the glorious life to which it is an
introduction, nerves the believer for all trials. [SDA Bible Commentary]
To follow Jesus requires wholehearted conversion at the start,
and a repetition of this conversion every day (Letter 39, 1899).
{1BC 1113.6}
Sanctification is not the work of a moment, an hour, a day, but
of a lifetime. It is not gained by a happy flight of feeling, but
is the result of constantly dying to sin, and constantly living for
Christ. AA560
We must deny self all along the way, die to self daily, let
Jesus alone appear, and keep His glory continually in view. EW66, 67
Having Your Own Way
Although our divine Shepherd seeks to lead us in the paths
that are right, often we are so stubborn and self-centered that we
decline to follow. We prefer our own way even though it may lead us
straight into trouble.
When challenged about this issue, many of us, of course,
strongly deny it. Yet in actual fact, comparatively few of God's people
follow continually in His path. We say: "I want to do God's will and be
led by Him in all that I do" - and then promptly proceed to follow
our own self-determined desires. We sing beautiful hymns and
choruses that contain such words as: "The Lord knows the way through the
wilderness, all I have to do is follow" - then take the path that we think
is best.
This is an issue that we must come to grips with right now,
for unless we learn how to give up our self-centeredness, we will
fall into serious trouble - no matter how loving and concerned is our
Shepherd. I recognize that this is a difficult issue for many Christians,
for our civilization teaches us self-interest as the primary
motivating force in life-- "every man for himself and the Devil take the
hindmost." Actually if self-interest is primary, then the result is
self-destruction, for the self-centered soon become the self-disrupted. They are
making themselves God, and they are not God, so the universe won't back
their way of life.
Blessed Lord Jesus, You show me how to truly live - help me
to live Your way. I want to abound, not drag leaden feet to dead
tasks. Purge me of self and make me a committed follower of Your Way.
For Your own name's sake. Amen. [Every Day With Jesus Bible with
Selwyn Hughes devotional re Psa. 85:8]
Luke 9:23 (KJV) And he said to them all, If any man will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and
follow me.
2 Corinthians 5:15 (KJV) And that he died for all, that they
which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him
which died for them, and rose again.
GREAT VIDEO CLIP - ONE OF THE BEST
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
SPECIAL VIDEO CLIP ON SEEKING GOD FIRST
http://vimeo.com/31489782
EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON EXPERIENCING GOD:
http://sda.biggytv.com/watch/Revive!_-_Dwight_Nelson:_Experiencing_Gods_Grace/revive/
EXCELLENT BIBLE PROPHECY SERIES - Prophecies Decoded By Dr. Ron
Clouzet:
1. Coming Soon: A New Superpower -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTcZ-oQGWUw
2. 2012 and Signs of the End of the World -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVgTGGGO33c
3. Armageddon and the Seven Last Plagues -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcFPUq2JAiU
4. War in Heaven Between Michael and the Dragon -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGnb54Qo_Lg
5. Revelation's Three Angels' Messages -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msy6mZLQ7EA
6. The Lamb Slain and the Seven Seals -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xdpQdli9J0
7. A New Revelation of Jesus Christ -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b2IwriWwY0
8. The Anti-Christ and the Cults that Follow Him -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDKzf5Z6VPQ
9. In Search of the Ark of the Covenant -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc6IM9cm2SU
10. The Greatest Issue in the Book of Revelation, Part 1 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLQbWSpTUXs
11. The Greatest Issue in the Book of Revelation, Part II -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQr_DHJYMc
12. How to Keep God's Holy Day, Part 1 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX5HtCx90oY
13. How to Keep God's Holy Day, Part 2 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPR5Pu8_1rM
14. Taking a Stand at the Time of the End -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7caCWSrpGU4
15. The Longest Time Prophecy in the Bible -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvAsJGlmrmE
16. Doctrines of Demons and the Mystery of Death -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJHE1cyLlcY
17. The Fall of Babylon the Great -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O70xfBDKxVQ
18. The Mark of the Beast and the Seal of God -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqm1xgG9NuM
19. Israel and the Rapture of the Church -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMZhsKEzPPA
20. The United States in Bible Prophecy -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6-umijrrKI
21. The Beauty and the Beast of Revelation -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2cLfTDQyQg
22. The Remnant's Use of Time, Treasure, and Talent -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CMdmIIHCUY
23. The One Thousand Year Millennium -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFbu9WsSK0Y
24. Revelation's Lake of Fire -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DccBQcLZGso
25. Heaven and the Apocalypse -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiXDN9_d0Mw
26. A Messenger for the Last Days -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSAgxCcNSqM
27. Christian Standards for Today -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFHCFFoRw98
28. The Work of the Holy Spirit in Your Life -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiwYeGKQg58
