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Philippians 1:21 - The Secret of Living.

Philippians 1:21 (NLT) For to me, living 
means living for Christ, and dying is even better. 
 

Philippians 1:21 (Phillips) For living to me 
means simply Christ, and if I die I should 
merely gain more of him.  

COMMENTARY PEARL

Our Jesus, Our Joy
   Pauls only aim was to know Jesus. 
Riches did not attract him. Applause did not matter 
to him. The grave did not intimidate him. All 
he wanted was more of Christ. As a result, he 
was content. In Jesus, Paul found all the 
satisfaction his heart desired. 
   You and I can learn the same. 
Christ-based contentment turns us into strong people. 
Since no one can take our Christ, no one can take 
our joy. 
   Can death take our joy? No, Jesus is 
greater than death. 
   Can failure take our joy? No, Jesus is 
greater than our sin. 
   Can betrayal take our joy? No, Jesus will 
never leave us. 
   Can sickness take our joy? No, God has 
promised, whether on this side of the grave or the 
other, to heal us. 
   Can disappointment take our joy? No, 
because even though our plans may not work out, we 
know God's plan will. 
   Death, failure, betrayal, sickness, 
disappointment - they cannot take our joy, because they 
cannot take our Jesus. [You Can Count On God by Max 
Lucado] 

COMMENTARY

"For to me to live is Christ," he declared. 
This is the most perfect interpretation in a few 
words, in all the Scriptures, of what it means to 
be a Christian. This is the whole truth of the 
gospel. Paul understood what many seem unable to 
comprehend. How intensely in earnest he was! His words 
show that his mind was centered in Christ, that 
his whole life was bound up with his Lord. 
Christ was the author, the support, and the source 
of his life. 7BC903 

Jesus Christ is everything to us, - the 
first, the last, the best in everything. Jesus 
Christ, His Spirit, His character, colors 
everything; it is the warp and woof, the very texture of 
our entire being. The words of Christ are spirit 
and life. We cannot, then, center our thoughts 
upon self; it is no more we that live, but Christ 
that liveth in us, and He is the hope of glory. 
Self is dead, but Christ is a living Saviour. 
Continuing to look unto Jesus, we reflect His image to 
all around us. We cannot stop to consider our 
disappointments, or even to talk of them; for a more pleasant 
picture attracts our sight, - the precious love of 
Jesus. TM389-390 

Christ is mine and I am His. It is 
positively necessary for us to sit down and think how 
Christ our Saviour descended from heaven, from the 
throne of God, clothing His divinity with humanity, 
to show all mankind what human beings may 
become if they will unite their weakness to His 
strength, if they will die to self and live to Christ. 
Thus the strong, unchristlike traits of character 
that they have cherished will be softened, 
subdued, purified. They will unite one with another, 
that they may be one with Christ in God. 
5MR368,9 

ILLUSTRATION

   I recently visited an old friend, a 
former professor of mine who just turned ninety. A 
classmate alerted me that he was very sick. She knew I 
would want to say good-bye. 
   My teacher hugged me when I stepped 
through the door. I could feel his bones. His hands 
shook while we sat across from each other in his 
living room visiting. One of the things we talked 
about is how strange it is to interface with death 
for a long period of time and what it does to 
your psyche. "I never planned for this," he said 
of hospital visits, loss of appetite, and loss 
of strength. "It's like my body betrays me." 
   On the drive home, I thought about how 
hard that must be " dying - and how I haven't 
planned for it either. I'm focused on living life to 
the fullest, on all the things I want to 
accomplish and do and be. The visit with my teacher 
made me think about howl want to die well 
whenever that time comes. 
   We make our plans, but Paul said that, in 
a sense, it's all the same. If we live, we 
live for Jesus, and if we die, we die for Him - 
it all belongs to Him. That's a comfort if I 
let it be. All that my life is, all I accomplish 
or don't, belongs to Him. It is Jesus Who 
infuses it with meaning. Not the doing or the being. 
And death also finds meaning in Him. Whatever 
happens, He is with me. I belong to Him. by Gwen Ford 
Faulkenberry 
   Faith Step: What does it mean to you to 
belong to Jesus? Do a word study on belong. Write 
down any new insights that come to you. [Mornings 
With Jesus 2019 Devotional by Guideposts and 
Zondervan re Romans 14:8] 

CLOSING PEARLS

Are you willing to cast down the idols you 
have cherished? Are you willing to let Jesus 
enter the heart to cleanse it from all that 
defiles? Are you at all times and under all 
circumstances, obtaining the mastery over yourself? Can you 
say, "For me to live is Christ," I am His? 
Whatever I have, of time, or strength, or influence, 
all is His? Are you representing Him by your 
forbearance, your patience, your unselfishness? Are you 
learning to be like Him? ST 04-09-02 

"Only one life, 'twill soon be past.
Only what's done for Christ will last.'
"To me to live is Christ" 
[Billy Graham]

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY 

Philippians 1:21 - The Secret of Living.

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20211202-0917.html 

Philippians 1:21 - The Secret of Living.

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190804-1139.html 

Philippians 1:21 - Really Living Is A 
Relationship With Christ. 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2008/20080829-1525.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/